Hao Hao ReportThe best China news and blog posts

Well, after weeks of disappearing from the grid, J.'s Granite Studio is pumping out more great entries. The latest deals with the idea that China has long been a "closed" culture and only recently, through pressures and methodology from the West, has opened. The post makes great points on how this is completely false.

A Chinese factory worker has been released after serving 17 years in jail for setting fire to a military vehicle during the Tiananmen Square democracy protest.

Jeremiah's got a great post over at the Granite Studio discussing a recent story in The Nationa and its wonky history. If you've any interest in Chinese history, specifically Qing Dynasty and Western Imperialism - check it out.

A great post over at The Granite Studio giving some historic perspective on why the CPC may not be too eager to change the status quo of corruption throughout the country. The post raises some good questions about whether international pressure may force the CPC's hand in sweeping out the corrupt - regardless of the political consequences.

A great post from The Granite Studio about etiquette in China. I had assumed all had been said about this often-blogged topic, but J adds a wonderful historical perspective and some great contemporary ideas to it.

This deep and moving article is a must read for anyone that feels China is a quick fix away from being perfect. Zha Jianying's account of her pro-democracy brother's imprisonment shows a breadth of comprehension rarely found in analysis about China.

Hat tip to The Granite Studio for pointing it out and providing a great summary.

A top ten list. Number 9: “I’m a tank-driving consultant. My office is right next to Tiananmen Square.”

This post from ESWN sheds some light on two interesting things. The first relating to the title of the post, which was taken from an article by the same name whereby a father killed his infant son because he couldn't get him a hukou (residency permit). The second is a comment on how media is changing in the way it can relay the process to the end user.

China is apparently being tempted to lift a ban on the sale of tiger bones and body parts. It is sad that tiger may be reduced to a status akin to cattle.