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6/16/2009 中华人民共和国国籍法(附英文) 《中华人民共和国国籍法》
第一条 中华人民共和国国籍的取得、丧失和恢复，都适用本法。
第二条 中华人民共和国是统一的多民族的国家，各民族的人都具有中国国籍。
第三条 中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
第四条 父母双方或一方为中国公民，本人出生在中国，具有中国国籍。
第五条 父母双方或一方为中国公民，本人出生在外国，具有中国国籍；但父母双方或一方为中国公民并定居在外国，本人出生时即具有外国国籍的，不具有中国国籍。
第六条 父母无国籍或国籍不明，定居在中国，本人出生在中国，具有中国国籍。
第七条 外国人或无国籍人，愿意遵守中国宪法和法律，并具有下列条件之一的，可以经申请批准加入中国国籍：
一、中国人的近亲属；
二、定居在中国的；
三、有其它正当理由。
第八条 申请加入中国国籍获得批准的，即取得中国国籍；被批准加入中国国籍的，不得再保留外国国籍。
第九条 定居外国的中国公民，自愿加入或取得外国国籍的，即自动丧失中国国籍。
第十条 中国公民具有下列条件之一的，可以经申请批准退出中国国籍：
一、外国人的近亲属；
二、定居在外国的；
三、有其它正当理由。
第十一条 申请退出中国国籍获得批准的，即丧失中国国籍。
第十二条 国家工作人员和现役军人，不得退出中国国籍。
第十三条 曾有过中国国籍的外国人，具有正当理由，可以申请恢复中国国籍；被批准恢复中国国籍的，不得再保留外国国籍。
第十四条 中国国籍的取得、丧失和恢复，除第九条规定的以外，必须办理申请手续。未满十八周岁的人，可由其父母或其他法定代理人代为办理申请。
第十五条 受理国籍申请的机关，在国内为当地市、县公安局，在国外为中国外交代表机关和领事机关。
第十六条 加入、退出和恢复中国国籍的申请，由中华人民共和国公安部审批。经批准的，由公安部发给证书。
第十七条 本法公布前，已经取得中国国籍的或已经丧失中国国籍的，继续有效。
第十八条 本法自公布之日起施行。 NATIONALITY LAW OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Important Notice: (注意事项)
英文本源自中华人民共和国务院法制局编译, 中国法制出版社出版的《中华人民
共和国涉外法规汇编》(1991年7月版).
当发生歧意时, 应以法律法规颁布单位发布的中文原文为准.
This English document is coming from "LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNING FOREIGN-RELATED MATTERS" (1991.7)
which is compiled by the Brueau of Legislative Affairs of the State
Council of the People's Republic of China, and is published by the China
Legal System Publishing House.
In case of discrepancy, the original version in Chinese shall prevail. Whole Document (法规全文)
NATIONALITY LAW OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
(Adopted at the Third Session of the Fifth National People's
Congress, promulgated by Order No. 8 of the Chairman of the Standing
Committee of the National People's Congress on and effective as of
September 10, 1980)
Article 1
This Law is applicable to the acquisition, loss and restoration of
nationality of the People's Republic of China.
Article 2
The People's Republic of China is a unitary multinational state; persons
belonging to any of the nationalities in China shall have Chinese
nationality.
Article 3
The People's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any
Chinese national.
Article 4
Any person born in China whose parents are both Chinese nationals or one
of whose parents is a Chinese national shall have Chinese nationality.
Article 5
Any person born abroad whose parents are both Chinese nationals or one of
whose parents is a Chinese national shall have Chinese nationality. But a
person whose parents are both Chinese nationals and have both settled
abroad, or one of whose parents is a Chinese national and has settled
abroad, and who has acquired foreign nationality at birth shall not have
Chinese nationality.
Article 6
Any person born in China whose parents are stateless or of uncertain
nationality and have settled in China shall have Chinese nationality.
Article 7
Foreign nationals or stateless persons who are willing to abide by China's
Constitution and laws and who meet one of the following conditions may be
naturalized upon approval of their applications:
(1) they are near relatives of Chinese nationals;
(2) they have settled in China; or
(3) they have other legitimate reasons.
Article 8
Any person who applies for naturalization as a Chinese national shall
acquire Chinese nationality upon approval of his application; a person
whose application for naturalization as a Chinese national has been
approved shall not retain foreign nationality.
Article 9
Any Chinese national who has settled abroad and who has been naturalized
as a foreign national or has acquired foreign nationality of his own free
will shall automatically lose Chinese nationality.
Article 10
Chinese nationals who meet one of the following conditions may renounce
Chinese nationality upon approval of their applications:
(1) they are near relatives of foreign nationals;
(2) they have settled abroad; or
(3) they have other legitimate reasons.
Article 11
Any person who applies for renunciation of Chinese nationality shall lose
Chinese nationality upon approval of his application.
Article 12
State functionaries and military personnel on active service shall not
renounce Chinese nationality.
Article 13
Foreign nationals who once held Chinese nationality may apply for
restoration of Chinese nationality if they have legitimate reasons; those
whose applications for restoration of Chinese nationality have been
approved shall not retain foreign nationality.
Article 14
Persons who wish to acquire, renounce or restore Chinese nationality, with
the exception of the cases provided for in Article 9, shall go through the
formalities of application. Applications of persons under the age of 18
may be filed on their behalf by their parents or other legal
representatives.
Article 15
Nationality applications at home shall be handled by the public security
bureaus of the municipalities or counties where the applicants reside;
nationality applications abroad shall be handled by China's diplomatic
representative agencies and consular offices.
Article 16
Applications for naturalization as Chinese nationals and for renunciation
or restoration of Chinese nationality are subject to examination and
approval by the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of
China. The Ministry of Public Security shall issue a certificate to any
person whose application has been approved.
Article 17
The nationality status of persons who have acquired or lost Chinese
nationality before the promulgation of this Law shall remain valid.
Article 18
This Law shall come into force on the day of its promulgation. 5/18/2009 Today
Chris ~ Link ~ Comments (0) ~ Share on Facebook ~ Send to friend From June 22 to 30 in Seville, Spain, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee will review a list of hundreds of candidate sites proposed by countries around the world as part of the World Heritage Site selection process. In the end, only 20 or so sites will make the cut and be named World Heritage Sites, putting them firmly on global tourism's radar.
Each country submitting candidate sites must maintain a 'tentative' list of sites from which it can submit two candidates to the selection committee. This year, China's tentative list features 52 different sites, including three in Yunnan. China currently has 37 World Heritage Sites.
The Yunnan sites on China's tentative list include Dali Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake Scenic Spot, the Hani Terraces of Yuanyang and the lesser-known Chengjiang fossil lagerstätte at Maotian Mountain. While Dali, Yuanyang and Chengjiang are by no means unknown to travelers, being selected a World Heritage Site would bring new tourist revenue – and new developmental issues.
Yunnan is currently home to three World Heritage Sites: Old Town of Lijiang, Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas and South China Karst. Here's a quick look at the sites that could be selected in June: 
Dali
Set between the towering Cangshan Mountains and the expansive waters of Erhai Lake, Dali has been a mainstay on the China backpacker circuit for more than a decade.
The agricultural know-how of the ethnic Bai people native to the area made Dali an important rice production base in dynastic times. This wealth fuelled the rise of the Nanzhao Kingdom, which was centered in Dali and at its height stretched from northern Laos, Thailand and Myanmar up into Chengdu and the Sichuan Basin before incurring the wrath of the Tang Dynasty.
Today Dali's old town is the most popular destination for travelers, but small guesthouses have also been popping up around Erhai Lake at Xizhou and Shuanglang. At the end of this year a new train line will link Dali and Lijiang.
Should Dali become a World Heritage Site, it would likely face many of the same development-versus-preservation problems that Lijiang has dealt with. 
Yuanyang
Yuanyang and its rice terraces have long been an 'off the beaten track' option for travelers to Yunnan wishing for something different from the Dali-Lijiang-Tiger Leaping Gorge route. With just a fraction of Dali's tourism, Yuanyang offers a much more "local" experience for travelers – there is very little tourism infrastructure, roads around the terraces are often quite rough, and dining options are rather limited.
In terms of scenery, the more than 13,000 hectares of rice terraces around Yuanyang offer some of the most stunning natural images to be found in China, especially at the beginning of the year when the terraces are filled with water creating a striking mirror effect.
For relatively poor Yuanyang, World Heritage Site status would be tantamount to winning the lottery. The main question would be how much of the incoming tourist revenue would make its way into the pockets of locals. 
Chengjiang fossil lagerstätte
The least-known of the three Yunnan sites on the tentative list, Chengjiang's Lagerstätte – a sedimentary deposit rich in fossils – is centered around Maotian Shan, located just north of the city of Chengjiang and picturesque Fuxian Lake, one of China's deepest and cleanest lakes.
While it is ignored by travel guidebooks, Chengjiang and its Lagerstätte is quite famous among paleontologists for the fossilized sea life it contains, collectively referred to as 'Chengjiang Fauna'. Chengjiang Fauna is considered one of the 'Three faunas of the evolution of early life forms' along with Burgess Shale Fauna in western Canada and the Ediacaran Fauna of South Australia.
The Chengjiang Lagerstätte recently made news around the world when Yunnan and UK scientists announced that they had found the earliest example of collective behavior there in the form of 525 million-year-old crustacean fossils linked together.
Already a popular weekend getaway for wealthy Kunmingers, Chengjiang would likely experience a rapid increase in international travelers as well as Chinese from other parts of the country were it to be named a heritage site. Three sites in Yunnan vying for World Heritage status - GoKunming: Kunming news, events, listings, travel, business, living 5/14/2009 Yunnan University - Though the tuition is about the same for all three schools, I've found Yun Da to be slightly more expensive in the past, especially for one on one teaching though I do not know their current pricing. Other issue is that the lower level classes tend to be bursting at the seems (my class had about 30 students). In addition, the school is not located within Yunnan University campus, but is separated from the local student population. On the upside, I had the best teachers at Yun Da, the location is quite conveniently placed near Green Lake Park, Wen Lin Jie, and Wen Hua Xiang (foreigner street) and the next door Yunnan University campus is beautiful. The class set-up is comprehensive class from 8-10am and listening/reading/speaking class from 10-12pm. Most students (when I attended) studied for 20 hours a week with a combination of comprehensive and listening/speaking classes. Thus, Yun Da offers the most amount of class hours per week compared to the other schools (I believe it's 16-18 hours/week for the other two). I'm not sure if the 10 hour/week package is available there. Please keep in mind that this is based on my experience 3 years ago.
KCELC: At the moment, has the cheapest tuition of the three schools mentioned, but the prices are rising. They are by far the most flexible of the three schools so you can tailor your study experience to cover comprehensive, listening, speaking, reading, small classes, or one-on-one. Class sizes usually range from 5-15 with probably the smallest teacher to student ratio of the three schools. The downside to the school is the location and the teaching staff. Comparatively, the school is located in more a business district while the other two schools are definitely in a more academic environment. True, it is conveniently located across from Wal-Mart and Kundu, but you are far removed from any Chinese student atmosphere. In addition, I've heard the teaching staff can be hit and miss. I personally like my instructor, but the first time I went to KCELC a few years back, the teacher I tried out was horrible. She didn't know how to teach and made us recite words all day without using them. In general, the KCELC teachers tend to have less experience then their Yun Da or Yunnan Normal counterparts. That doesn't mean you won't find a great teacher at this school, it just means you may need to search a bit for the right fit.
Yunnan Normal University: Out of the three, it has the best environment as the classrooms are located at Yunnan Normal University campus and there is a Chinese language club set up by the YNU foreigners to facilitate cultural and linguistic exchange. YNU also offers a 10 hour program though their class setup is a little different. From what I was told, you would do 6 hours of comprehensive (maybe in the morning from Monday to Wednesday) and then do either listening or speaking for 4 hours. They do offer a 18 hour program I believe though you'll have to contact them directly for details. Keep in mind that they schedule their classes differently from Yun Da and KCELC. The downside to YN is that you cannot try out the courses without paying money. Both Yun Da and KCELC let students try out courses before they pay, but YN requires a 150 rmb office fee in order to attend. In addition, YN has the policy that a student can only change classes twice, then must stay in that class, Yun Da and KCELC allow students to try out different classes and teachers until they find the right fit. Then the students register. I find this method of YN to be a bit anal, but I can understand the reasoning given: Teachers want to know who's in their class and the office wants to know who has paid and who hasn't. As far as the teaching staff is concerned, I'm not really sure since I've actually never studied there. Anyone else have feedback?
All schools offer elective courses such as Tai Qi, Calligraphy, and HSK prep. Comparing Yun Da and KCELC, KCELC offers more variety of electives and the course are not built into the curriculum. What that means is KCELC does not try to pad the number of study hours per week by adding elective courses (I believe this is done at Yunnan Normal), but offers the courses in addition to the study. All three schools offer school trips to various locations, though I have yet to hear about a good school trip that introduced Chinese culture or something of interest. Most of the time, it's about going somewhere to get drunk and eat free food.
There are other alternatives to the three mentioned above (Yunnan Minority University and two or three language schools,..some have posted their advertisements in the forum if you are interested). Something tells me most of this information can be found elsewhere or on previous posts, but I thought it might be worth reiterating 5/7/2009 Yunnan Normal University Full Scholarship for International Students
Full Scholarship includes:
Free tuition.
Free learning materials.
Free accommodation.
Cash payment each month for food and pocket money.
Free laundry (but supply your own powder).
Free access to the Internet.
Chinese Language Training Course
For one semester, half year
For two semesters one year.
Non certificate.
Age 15 – 45 years
BA Degree
4 year BA Degree.
Monthly cash payment of 1400 RMB
Under 35 years of age.
Master Degree
3-4 year Master Degree.
Monthly cash payment of 1700 RMB
Under 45 years of age.
Doctorate Degree
2 years Doctorate Degree
Monthly cash payment of 2000 RMB
Under 45 years of age
.
Language Support Course.
If you enroll for one of the above degrees, and your language ability requires improving, you will be entitled to study Chinese language for one or two semesters all under the same scholarship scheme, including the monthly cash payments.
For more information, Contact ；
T. Carter Project Manager phone 0871 4602258 e-mail telcart08@yahoo.com
J. Shi Project coordinator phone 0871 55155165 e-mail sybjason@162.com
http://www.ynnu.edu.cn 4/28/2009
Want to input Chinese?
No download or installation required.
Open your browser and JustInput! 4/23/2009
About Green KunmingWelcome to Kunming's largest organic food distribution system, brought to you byGoKunming, The Oasis Gift Shop,Salvador's Coffee House and Haobao Organic Farm.
Each week, there will be two deliveries of healthy organic produce to the Wenhua Xiang area, from where Green Kunming members can collect.
Members can reserve boxes of produce. Each box contains a 5 kilogram assortment of vegetables. Each box costs RMB40.
Deliveries are currently scheduled for Tuesdays and Fridays, between 1pm and 6pm. Please bring a bag to collect your produce, as the delivery boxes will be reused.
This website exists to allow members to schedule when they'd like to collect their boxes of goodies. Once registered, you can add credit to your account, and choose which dates to use up that credit. 4/9/2009 Frédéric JACQUES, YU Wentao Pionnier, the journal of the French consulate in Chengdu L’Institut de Botanique de Kunming, qui fait partie de l’Académie des Sciences de Chine, a été fondé en 1938 par les Professeurs HU Xianxiao et CAI Xitao sous le nom d’Institut Provincial du Yunnan pour la Botanique Agricole et Forestière. Il joue aujourd’hui un rôle majeur dans la recherche botanique en Chine, grâce à un emplacement privilégié à proximité des Himalayas et de la zone tropicale du Xishuangbanna. Se concentrant principalement sur les plantes du Sud-ouest de la Chine et des Himalayas, les études de l’Institut apportent une information essentielle pour notre compréhension de la biodiversité végétale, ainsi que pour sa conservation et son utilisation durable. Depuis 1999, l’Institut fait partie des 18 premiers instituts de l’Académie des Sciences à suivre le plan de réforme « Innovation de la connaissance ». Le personnel de l’Institut. LI De-Zhu est l’actuel directeur de l’Institut, qui emploie trois académiciens, 31 professeurs ; 46 de ses employés sont titulaires d’un doctorat. L’Institut est habilité à décerner le titre de Docteur depuis 1986 et forme actuellement plus de 130 thésards aux méthodes actuelles de la recherche botanique. Les jardins botaniques. Le département de l’Institut le plus connu du grand public est, sans doute, celui des jardins botaniques. Le jardin botanique de Kunming regroupe plusieurs collections thématiques : les camélias, les plantes médicinales, les fougères, les rhododendrons, les bégonias, les magnolias et les orchidées. La visite du jardin est particulièrement spectaculaire en automne lorsque les liquidambars prennent de magnifiques couleurs. Le jardin botanique alpin de Lijiang est spécialisé dans les plantes de montagne. Ces collections permettent d’importantes études sur les croisements et la domestication de plantes sauvages en vue de leur commercialisation. Les jardins botaniques jouent aussi un rôle essentiel dans la préservation d’espèces en voie de disparition. La Banque de Semences d’Espèces sauvages du Sud-ouest de la Chine. Cette banque de semences, récemment inaugurée, est un des plus grands projets scientifiques de la Chine. Dans le respect des meilleures normes internationales, la Banque gère quatre unités différentes : la collection de graine, l’unité de micropropagation in vitro, la banque de semence animale et la banque d’ADN. A terme, plus de 19 000 espèces devraient être conservées en ce lieu, offrant une ressource considérable et primordiale pour les espèces en voie de disparition. Le département de Biogéographie et d’Ecologie. Dans une approche pluridisciplinaire associant la systématique végétale, la biogéographie, l’écologie végétale, la paléobotanique, la biologie moléculaire et l’ethnobotanique, les chercheurs du département étudient l’origine et l’évolution des espèces et des flores présentes dans le Sud-est asiatique. Le Sud-ouest de la Chine est un terrain propice à ce genre d’études : la surrection des Himalayas et l’apparition du système de mousson a une action considérable sur les flores de la région. Le Laboratoire d’Etat de Phytochimie et des Ressources Végétales. Ce laboratoire profite de la grande biodiversité de la région et des connaissances des populations locales en médecine traditionnelle pour découvrir de nouvelles molécules actives, notamment pour la fabrication de nouveaux médicaments. L’Herbier. L’herbier de l’Institut, connu internationalement sous le sigle KUN, comprend de nombreux échantillons collectés dans le Yunnan ou d’autres régions depuis plusieurs dizaines d’années. L’herbier est totalement intégré dans la communauté botanique internationale et envoie régulièrement du matériel en prêt aux institutions étrangères. La botanique dans le Yunnan et la France. Un nom est célèbre entre tous pour les gens ayant un jour travaillé sur la botanique du Yunnan, c’est celui de Jean-Marie Delavay. Ce français était présent dans le Yunnan à la fin du dix-neuvième siècle, et a collecté plusieurs dizaines de milliers d’échantillons végétaux, principalement envoyés au Muséum d’Histoire Naturel à Paris. Aussi de nombreuses espèces ont-elles été nommées en sont honneur. Certains botanistes disent même que si vous trouvez une plante dans le Yunnan dont vous ne connaissez pas le nom, appelez-la « quelque chose » delavayi est vous ne serez pas loin d’avoir trouvé. Le présent auteur, français, est le premier occidental à être employé par l’Institut. Cela peut-être l’occasion de tisser des liens encore plus fort avec la France. 昆明植物研究所 ——在云南卓越的学术研究中心 Frédéric Jacques 于文涛 昆明植物研究所隶属于中国科学院，她的前身是胡先骕教授和蔡希陶教授于1938年建立的云南农林植物研究所。因其靠近喜马拉雅山和西双版纳热带地区的优越地理位置，它在植物学研究领域发挥了重要作用。昆明植物所立足于中国西南地区，面向喜马拉雅和东南亚，以植物的生物多样性、植物保护和植物可持续利用为研究内容，为植物学的发展做出重要贡献。1999年，该研究所成为中科院进行的改革计划“知识创新工程”首批18个单位之一。 研究所工作人员介绍。现任研究所所长为李德铢。在职人员中包括三名院士、31名教授，所有在职人员中有 46名成员获得博士学位。昆明植物研究所自1986年以来开始招收博士生，现在在读的博士生超过130名。 植物园。最为大众所知的研究部门无疑是植物园。昆明植物园各个园区有：山茶园、百草园、濒危植物区、秋海棠专类收集园、蕨类植物收集区、扶荔宫、杜鹃园、单子叶植物区、裸子植物区、岩石园等。游览植物园最好的时节是在层林尽染的深秋。研究所还专门为研究高山植物而建立了丽江高山植物园。植物园栽培的植物很多用于经济作物的研究、野生植物的育种和驯化等等。在保护濒临灭绝植物方面，植物园也发挥了重要作用。 中国西南野生生物种质资源库。最近才建立的种质资源库，是中国的一个重要的科学项目。种资库遵循最高的国际标准，中国西南野生生物种质资源库主要包含种子库，植物离体库，动物种质库和DNA库等。在长期计划内，超过19000物种会保存在这里，其中包含大量濒临灭绝的物种。 生物地理与生态学研究室。这是一个多学科研究室，研究内容包括生物地理学，植物生态学，古植物学，分子生物学和民族植物学等。这个研究部门的一部分研究人员研究分布在东亚、东南亚的植物物种的起源和演变。中国西南地区是一个有趣的地方，喜马拉雅山隆起和季风的形成给这里的植物区系造成了巨大的影响，这非常值得研究。 植物化学与西部植物资源持续利用国家重点实验室。云南巨大的生物多样性和当地的民族医学非常有利于本研究室的研究。他们的研究成果有新药研发等等。 植物标本馆。昆明研究所植物标本馆，她的代码是世界知名的：KUN。馆藏有许多近百年以来在云南和其它地区采集的标本。该标本馆是国际植物协会的一份子，并经常向国外的研究机构借出标本。 法国和云南的植物学研究。如果你有一天从事有关云南植物的研究，那么有个名字你一定是非常熟悉的，这个名字就是Jean-Marie Delavay。这个法国人在19世纪下半叶收集了数以万计的云南植物标本，之后主要邮寄到巴黎自然历史博物馆。为了纪念他，许多植物以他的名字为种加词。一些植物学家甚至说，如果你在云南不知道一种植物的种加词，你可以称之为 “*** delavayi” ，很可能就是这个名字。笔者是法国人，是第一个来自西方国家在昆明植物所就职的。我想，这是加强与法国的联系的一个机会 : ) 4/7/2009 Hi, I recently came across a new online language learning site called Livemocha. I am using it to learn English and thought that you might find it useful too. It's a great way to learn new languages and connect with native speakers. They have fun lessons for a variety of languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi and more -- and its free to join. 4/2/2009 
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Contact History Music Conference Chat Links Matouqin, or morinkhuur, horse-head fiddle, is probably the most important musical instrument in Mongolian ethnic group, this website is for promotion the related cultural and one of greatest string instruments in the world. We are working on this website, if you are interested in matouqin or hope to set up a relationship with us, please fell free to contact us at info@matouqin.com. 
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Great Urtinduu (changdiao) singer Hajab past away at his hometown in Xilinhoute on October 27th, 2005. Artistic Director of Melody of China (US) -- Hong Wang, Los Angeles Times Reporter John Glionna, photographyer Lily Xie (US) and video assistant Dong Yue (Beijing) did interview at Hajab's home on July 24th, 2005. It maybe the last interview to him. Hajab always living in our heart.
Matouqin master Libo, Hajab and Maxibataar
Master Singer Hajab
Hong Wang interview Hajab at his home in July 2005
Matouqin master Bulin demonstrates the longtune at Matouqin Workshop in 2004 summer Copyright @ 2005- 2007by www.matouqin.com Web Master | Contact us
Home | Matouqin | Organization | Purchase | Contact Matouqin - Morin Khuur (Mongolian horse head fiddle) 3/25/2009 Don't ever presume to know China.....
I've been in China for 2 and a half years and I haven't even scratched the surface yet of understanding this country yet. I go to discussion forums like thebeijinger discussion forum and other China-related forums and you'll find plenty of neo-conservatives and their willing and unwilling fellow-travellers who write gems like "I've been in China for a year now, and let me tell you, the people here have no sense of service, they're unhygienic, impolite, loud, rude and lack any sense of intimacy" et cetera et cetera. Yeah, like they're barbarians or apes or something. Wanna throw them a banana? Fact is, these people had a prejudice against Chinese people even before they came to China and, by the time they are about to pack their bags and leave, their prejudice has not just NOT gone away but, in fact, in their own imagination, has been reinforced.
That's the thing with prejudice. If you have a prejudice and you are unaware that you have one or are aware that you have one but are just too damn lazy to address it, you look at the world around you through the prism of that prejudice. To take the China example, even before you arrive in China, you think Chinese people are unfriendly and so on, and after you arrive, you pick and choose from facts and circumstances around you in order to validate that prejudice. Inevitably, you will find some selective information to confirm and justify your unchallenged prejudice in your own mind. I like to think when I first came to China 2 and a half years ago, I was open minded about the place and the people. I knew I had a prejudice but I think I have been making an effort to get rid of it. It was and is a formidable task but I want to rise to the challenge.
Anyway, getting back to prejudice. My take on prejudice brings to mind the selective reasons President Bush gave for invading Iraq in March 2003. The real reason I think he invaded was because he wanted to impress his Daddy and because he disapproved of Daddy not finishing the job in 1991 of getting rid of Saddam Hussein after the first Iraq war. Of course, George W. Bush wasn't going to say that. Instead, he cast around to find "intelligence" to fit the case that Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction and also that Saddam Hussein was somehow involved in or linked to the planning of the 9/11 attacks by Al-Qaeda. This was Bush's pretext to invade the country. Bush and his cohorts gathered together a hotchpotch of ridiculous "evidence" including supposed "Yellow Cake" in Niger which apparently was being sold to Saddam Hussein to aid his supposed nuclear program and a tip-off from a "insider" in Iraq (who had nonetheless been red-flagged as unreliable by US intelligence agencies) about supposed mobile missile launch units in Iraq. Anyway, after Iraq had been invaded, we subsequently learned that Saddam had no weapons of mass destruction at all and that there was no link between him and Al-Qaeda.
A very good documentary you should watch about Bush's reasons (and lack of) for going to war in Iraq is a Frontline documentary here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/bushswar/
You can watch it online. It's in two parts. Tips for Foreigners (Number 2) a.k.a. The Nature of Prejudice. - Windows Live 
Golden sands corn – jinsha yumi (金沙玉米)
Corn is widely grown throughout Yunnan, so much so that it's almost impossible to make a trip to the province without coming across a house festooned with drying ears. Golden sands corn is a specialty dish found in Yunnan which sees the corn prepared in a most unorthodox and tasty way.
Ingredients
300g of corn kernels
2 sprigs of spring onion
3 salted egg yolks*
2 tbsp of Chinese yellow wine**
100g corn starch
Oil for frying
* Salted eggs are ordinarily duck eggs which have been preserved by soaking in brine. They are readily available in markets and supermarkets throughout China and from Chinese grocers in the West.
** There are numerous types of Chinese yellow wine (huangjiu, 黄酒) which can be used in cooking. You should use a dry wine without further additives such as Shaoxing wine (绍兴黄酒).
Method
Put the salted egg yolks in a bowl, place them in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes. When the yolks are cooked add in the rice wine and mix with a spoon to form a paste.
In the meantime chop the spring onion into 1cm lengths, discarding the white bulb (Guo's tip – if you place the spring onion bulbs in a glass of water or replant them in soil they will produce a never ending supply of green stalk which can be harvested fresh whenever you need it). Wash the corn and drain (if you are using canned corn simply drain the can) then mix the still-wet corn with the cornflour until well coated. Discard any remaining cornflour.
Heat 4-5 tablespoons of oil in a wok on high heat and add the corn, fry for about 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove the corn from the wok, leaving behind a tablespoon or so of oil (if there is no oil left you will need to add more). Add the spring onions to the wok and fry for about 30 seconds, add the salted egg yolk paste and fry for a further 30 seconds. Return the corn to the wok and mix all ingredients thoroughly. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to serve.
Happy Eating! Recipe: Golden sands corn - GoKunming: Kunming news, events, travel, business, living 3/5/2009 International Women's Day International Women's Day (8 March) is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday. When women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate their Day, they can look back to a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development. International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men. In ancient Greece, Lysistrata initiated a sexual strike against men in order to end war; during the French Revolution, Parisian women calling for "liberty, equality, fraternity" marched on Versailles to demand women's suffrage. The idea of an International Women's Day first arose at the turn of the century, which in the industrialized world was a period of expansion and turbulence, booming population growth and radical ideologies. Following is a brief chronology of the most important events: 1909 In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate it on the last Sunday of that month through 1913. 1910 The Socialist International, meeting in Copenhagen, established a Women's Day, international in character, to honour the movement for women's rights and to assist in achieving universal suffrage for women. The proposal was greeted with unanimous approval by the conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, which included the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament. No fixed date was selected for the observance. 1911 As a result of the decision taken at Copenhagen the previous year, International Women's Day was marked for the first time (19 March) in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, where more than one million women and men attended rallies. In addition to the right to vote and to hold public office, they demanded the right to work, to vocational training and to an end to discrimination on the job. Less than a week later, on 25 March, the tragic Triangle Fire in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working girls, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This event had a significant impact on labour legislation in the United States, and the working conditions leading up to the disaster were invoked during subsequent observances of International Women's Day. 1913-1914 As part of the peace movement brewing on the eve of World War I, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. Elsewhere in Europe, on or around 8 March of the following year, women held rallies either to protest the war or to express solidarity with their sisters. 1917 With 2 million Russian soldiers dead in the war, Russian women again chose the last Sunday in February to strike for "bread and peace". Political leaders opposed the timing of the strike, but the women went on anyway. The rest is history: Four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. That historic Sunday fell on 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia, but on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere. Since those early years, International Women's Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing international women's movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women's conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point for coordinated efforts to demand women's rights and participation in the political and economic process. Increasingly, International Women's Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of women's rights. The Role of the United NationsFew causes promoted by the United Nations have generated more intense and widespread support than the campaign to promote and protect the equal rights of women. The Charter of the United Nations, signed in San Francisco in 1945, was the first international agreement to proclaim gender equality as a fundamental human right. Since then, the Organization has helped create a historic legacy of internationally agreed strategies, standards, programmes and goals to advance the status of women worldwide. Over the years, United Nations action for the advancement of women has taken four clear directions: promotion of legal measures; mobilization of public opinion and international action; training and research, including the compilation of gender desegregated statistics; and direct assistance to disadvantaged groups. Today a central organizing principle of the work of the United Nations is that no enduring solution to society's most threatening social, economic and political problems can be found without the full participation, and the full empowerment, of the world's women. International Women's Day 2/19/2009 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16308&id=1069667487&l=a7c13, photoes from hangzhou, china Yesterday
Guo Duomi ~ Link ~ Comments (0) 
Editor's note: As interest in Yunnan cuisine increases around China and the rest of the world, GoKunming contributor Guo Duomi will occasionally offer recipes for traditional Yunnan dishes. If there is a certain dish you would like to see a recipe for, please send us your ideas via our contact form.
Across the bridge noodles - Guoqiao mixian (过桥米线)
Yunnan's most famous dish is definitely across the bridge noodles. The story behind the rice noodle dish basically goes that a scholar retired to an island in Mengzi to study for the imperial exams. His wife would bring him lunch every day by crossing a bridge but by the time she got there his food would be cold. She discovered that keeping a layer of oil on top of a bowl of soup would keep the broth hot enough for him to cook the ingredients when she arrived.
The dish, just like the story, has numerous variations but the basic elements remain the same. Many restaurants in Kunming will offer you the dish at different price levels, the more you pay the more (and more expensive) ingredients you get.
Ingredients
A few small slices of:
Chicken breast
Ham (Xuanwei ham can be used)
Squid
Tofu skin*
20g peanuts
2 quail eggs
1 small bok choy
2 stalks of spring onion
Small bunch of coriander
50g Chinese mushrooms
200g fresh rice noodles**
Large pot of chicken stock
* Tofu skin is usually available for purchase as dried sheets which need to reconstitute in water prior to use.
** Thick round rice noodles are traditionally used in this recipe. If using dried rice noodles they will need to be pre-cooked before making the dish. 
Method
Wash and chop up the bok choy and slice the Chinese mushrooms. Chop up the green sections of the spring onion into long lengths, discarding the bulb, and chop up the coriander. Place each of the ingredients on a separate small dish, including cracking the quail eggs into a dish.
Fill a large bowl to about ¾ full with the Chicken stock – if it is not an oily stock you can add a little extra oil to ensure you have a good film on the surface.
Cart the bowl of soup plus other ingredients across a bridge to a small island or from the kitchen to your dining table.
The dish is then 'cooked' at the table – in Yunnan restaurants a waiter or waitress may do this for you. The meat is placed in the pot first, followed by the eggs, mushrooms and noodles. This should all be cooked through within a few minutes. Finally the peanuts, green onion and coriander are added as a garnish.
Happy eating! Recipe: Across the bridge noodles - GoKunming: Kunming news, events, travel, business, living 2/5/2009 Today
Guo Duomi ~ Link ~ Comments (0) 
Editor's note: As interest in Yunnan cuisine increases around China and the rest of the world, GoKunming contributor Guo Duomi will occasionally offer recipes for traditional Yunnan dishes. If there is a certain dish you would like to see a recipe for, please send us your ideas via our contact form.
Yunnan ham with Capsicum - Huotui chao qingjiao (火腿炒青椒)
Yunnan is home to what is arguably China's tastiest ham, the best and most famous of which comes from the town of Xuanwei (宣威). It is often served cold in slices or for a real Yunnan double up it can be placed between two slices of rubing (Yunnan goat cheese) and fried. In this recipe the capsicum is used to offset the pungency of the ham.
Ingredients
400g of Yunnan Ham*
1 medium red capsicum (bell pepper)
1 medium green capsicum
Oil for frying
*If you can't obtain the Yunnan variety you may substitute with a good quality cured ham.
Method
Slice up the ham into pieces around 2 by 4 centimetres, for an authentic dish be sure to include the substantial layers of fat which form part of the ham. Slice the capsicums into small pieces. 
Heat around 2 tablespoons of oil in your wok and add the ham. Stir fry for around 3 minutes then add the capsicum. Stir fry for a further 2 or so minutes until the capsicum is cooked. Remove from the heat and drain any residual oil from the wok. This oil can be used for cooking other dishes or flavouring a soup.
Transfer your dish to a plate or bowl to serve.
Happy Eating! Recipe: Yunnan ham with capsicum - GoKunming: Kunming news, events, travel, business, living 2/2/2009 GoKunming contributor Guo Duomi set off during the Chinese New Year holiday with Lady Guo to cycle some of the roads less travelled in central and southern Yunnan. Here he shares with us details of his journey from Yuxi to Jinghong by bike.
Day 1 – Yuxi to Tonghai (51km)
The first leg of the journey was the two hour bus to Yuxi (玉溪) which enables you to miss a tough day's ride out of Kunming. When the Dianchi Lake cycle path is completed this may be worth reconsidering, as would cycling to Chengjiang (澄江) and then taking the quieter roads along the west of Fuxian Lake (抚仙湖) to Jiangchuan (江川).
The first few kilometres take you out of Yuxi's industrial west on a crowded and dusty road. At the top of a hill you turn off the main road to enjoy a quiet stretch into the hamlet of Yanhe (研和镇). From here you join the highway for a climb of around 10km offering reasonable views of Yuxi's surrounds. After this there is a short descent followed by a long and straight roll into Tonghai (通海). 
Tonghai is a friendly town whose attractions include the expansive Qilu Lake (杞麓湖), at which a passing groom getting his wedding shots taken may wish to take a spin on your bicycle. 
Day 2 – Tonghai to Jianshui (80km)
A short climb out of Tonghai sees you pass the entrance of the motorway to Jianshui (建水) and then take on a massive 25km descent into Gaozhai (高寨). The road is reasonable quality but the combination of heavy fog and a wet road meant that is was pretty cold and uncomfortable going on a January morning.
The road forks at Gaozhai with Jianshui 50km away whilst Shiping (石屏), which looks about the same distance on a map, is 90km away. The road to Jianshui is good quality and undulates through a series of villages and towns, snaking past the expressway from Tonghai and the railway under construction, culminating in a reasonable climb and descent into town. 
Jianshui bristles with historic sights and has large and vibrant old town. It offers not just warm people but ridiculously warm weather in the depths of winter – making a nice departure from the frosty temperatures that the 'spring city' of Kunming proffers during a cold snap.
Days 3 and 4 – Jianshui to Shiping and back (120km return)
As you leave Jianshui you pass what seems to be every headstone manufacturer in Yunnan. After about 5km you reach Twin Dragon Bridge (双龙桥), an impressive 17 span Qing Dynasty bridge still in regular use by the locals. 
A further 10km or so on you will find yourself at the entrance to the village of Tuanshan (团山), site of the Zhang family Gardens. This complex was created by a prosperous merchant family over many centuries and, whilst now a tourist site with a 20 yuan entry fee, it remains a living community home to a population 80 percent of which are surnamed Zhang.
Spending the extra 10 yuan on a guide is well worth it (even if you don't speak much Chinese) as you will be taken into many otherwise inaccessible areas of the gardens and you'll have the footbound old woman pointed out to you - though photographs are a no-no.
Moving on from Tuanshan you shadow the expressway on poor roads until the village of Baxin (坝心站). From here you divert to the southern shore of Yilong Lake (异龙湖), passing by racks of tofu skin drying in the sun until you double back into Shiping. Shiping tofu is famous as the best in Yunnan and, just like the Guinness in Dublin, it certainly seems to taste better when sampled at the source.
Day 5 – Jianshui to Yuanyang (79km) 
Departing Jianshui to the south you are faced with 35 kilometres of almost constant climbing on decent quality roads. The pass above the town of Goujie (狗街) marks the beginning 40km of descending roads which are poor but offer some awesome scenery. Steep slopes near and far provide your first view of terraced rice fields and stunning views of the dammed Yuan River (沅江) shortly follow. 
The descent takes you level with the reservoir along a few kilometres of horrible dirt road before arriving at the positively subtropical town of Yuanyang (元阳). Yuanyang is also known as Nansha (南沙), the town of Xinjie (新街) which is sometimes also called Yuanyang was our target destination and lies a further 30km of steady climbing south. This could make a challenging conclusion to your day's riding or you could fork over 10 yuan and pop your bicycle on the roof of the local bus to be chauffeured up in (relative) style.
Day 6 – Yuanyang (Xinjie) rice terraces (40km)
In Xinjie you have the option of hiring a vehicle for the day to take you around - a necessity if you want to see the terraces at sunrise and/or sunset and you don't have decent lights. You do risk the chance of seeing nothing due to fog however. Heading out at your own leisure on the bike allows you to go when visibility has improved. About 10km of climbing out of town will take you to the turnoff for the spectacular Bada (八大) and Duoyishu (多依树) terraces which are a further 8 and 15 kilometres away respectively on a gently undulating poor quality dirt road. 
Continuing back along the main road a further 5 kilometres will take you to the pass with a further 8 kilometres down to the Tiger Mouth terraces. From here you can keep on heading south to Lüchun (绿春) and through the rolling hills all the way to Jinghong (景洪). Reports are that the scenery in this region is pleasant but a little repetitive.
Days 6 and 7 –Xinjie to Jinghong
Given time constraints we rolled down through the fog into Yuanyang and bussed it to Jinghong overnight via Jianshui. A trip to the hot springs just south of town proved a relaxing day trip however the 'back streets' route to the springs offered by the map in Mei Mei Café is quite difficult to follow.
Days 8 and 9 – Jinghong to Banna Wild Elephant Valley and back (110km return) 
Crossing the Mekong – here known as the Lancang River (澜沧江) you follow the main road past the tollbooth until the roundabout. Taking the hard left will lead you to the road from which the number three road to Mengyang (勐养镇) branches off on your right. Requiring a lengthy climb past rubber and fruit plantations on a deteriorating surface followed by a long descent into the back of Mengyang means this road is not recommended.
From Mengyang continuing along the secondary road which shadows the expressway requires a short climb of around 5km followed by a pleasant descent to the Elephant Valley entrance. The dilapidated tree houses which are a favourite with western tourists are a long walk into the reserve. Promotional material suggests that your best chance of seeing a wild elephant is in the early morning. At around 9pm however the darkness was pierced by an oddly familiar elephant sound and we were treated to the spectacle of a five strong herd taking a drink and having a mess about in the stream below. 
Arrival of the megaphone led tour groups at 9:00am the next morning made one understand why the elephants preferred to make a nocturnal visit.
The return voyage sees you retrace your steps to Mengyang and then shadow the expressway until the turnoff for Menglun (勐仑, a lazy 110km away). Don't be put off by the fact that the signs don't show Jinghong as a destination – after about 5km in you will reach a turn off for the secondary road to Jinghong which descends all the way back to the Mekong/Lancang. Cycling into Yunnan's jungle: From Yuxi to Jinghong by mountain bike - GoKunming: Kunming news, events, travel, business, living 1/12/2009 Today
Guo Duomi ~ Link ~ Comments (0) 
Editor's note: As interest in Yunnan cuisine increases around China and the rest of the world, GoKunming contributor Guo Duomi will occasionally offer recipes for traditional Yunnan dishes. If there is a certain dish you would like to see a recipe for, please send us your ideas via our contact form.
Yunnan-style crispy red beans - Suhongdou (酥红豆)
Red beans are a well known ingredient across Asia, finding their way into all manner of dishes including drinks and desserts. This classic Yunnan recipe pits the humble red bean against the might of the deep fry with very crispy, very tasty results.
The two most popular iterations of this bean dish are bohe suhongdou (薄荷酥红豆) in which the beans are accompanied by fresh mint leaves and kucai suhongdou (苦菜酥红豆), which is made with the greens of the sow thistle plant, known in Chinese as kucai, or 'bitter vegetable'. The image above shows the finished kucai version of this recipe.
Ingredients
400g precooked red beans*
50g mint or kucai**
Approximately 50g of flour
2 tsp salt
Oil for frying
* Red beans are widely available in Yunnan markets in both dried and precooked form. You may purchase the dried version and cook them yourself if you wish. You may also use tinned red kidney beans as a substitute.
* Kale can be used as a substitute for kucai
Method
Roughly chop the mint, discarding the rough end of the stems but including the stems attached to the leaves. If you are using kucai instead of mint, chop the leaves roughly and discard the base of the stems.
Place the flour in a bowl and add in a few spoonfuls of red beans. Using chopsticks work the beans around until they are well coated with flour. Carefully transfer the beans to a plate, trying not to take too much excess flour with them. Repeat this process until you have coated all of your beans.
Heat 4-5 tablespoons of oil in a wok then add the beans. Fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally but not too vigorously. Remove the beans to a plate, leaving any oil behind in the wok. 
Add another tablespoon or so of oil to the wok and, when heated add in the mint or kucai. Fry for about 30 seconds and then add the beans back in, followed by the salt. Stir through until the beans are well mixed with the mint or kucai.
Transfer to a plate or bowl and serve with your other dishes.
Happy Eating! Recipe: Yunnan-style crispy red beans - GoKunming: Kunming news, events, travel, business, living 1/7/2009 
The Public Security Bureau of Kunming's Xishan district unveiled a new English-language website yesterday aimed at foreign residents of the district as well as foreigners planning on visiting Kunming and China in general.
The police website highlights police services, laws and regulations and announcements relevant to foreigners living in the Xishan district, including downloadable applications and forms and even a directory of all the police stations located throughout the district.
The new website comes on the heels of the Kunming government's recently launched English-language portal and is part of a drive to make the municipal government more transparent and accessible to Kunming residents and businesses. 12/31/2008 http://www.xdyx.net/ A Kunming, il y a une église, chaque catholique peut y aller librement pour l'office, le gouvernement n'y met aucune restriction When I say..."I am a Christian"
当我说我是基督徒时
I'm not shouting "I am saved"
我并不是在叫喊着 "我是得救的"
I'm whispering "I get lost!"
而是在低声的说 "我曾经迷失过"
"That is why I chose this way. "
所以我选择了这条路
When I say..."I am a Christian"
当我说我是基督徒时
I don't speak of this with pride.
并不是因为我觉得比你高一等
I'm confessing that I stumble
而是承认我一直在蹒跚而行
and need someone to be my guide.
所以我需要一位生命中的向导
When I say..."I am a Christian"
当我说我是基督徒时
I'm not trying to be strong.
我并不是在显示自己很强壮
I'm professing that I'm weak
而是在承认自己的软弱
and pray for strength to carry on.
并祷告寻求继续前进的力量
When I say..."I am a Christian"
当我说我是基督徒时
I'm not bragging of success.
我并不是在吹嘘我的成功
I'm admitting I have failed
而是承认自己的失败
and cannot ever pay the debt.
并且没有能力偿还所背负的债
When I say..."I am a Christian"
当我说我是基督徒时
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
我并不是在自我宣称我是完美的
my flaws are too visible
而是让你看到我生命中的瑕疵是这么的明显
but God believes I'm worth it.
但神 相信我是有价值的
When I say..."I am a Christian"
当我说我是基督徒时
I still feel the sting of pain
我还是会感到痛如针刺一般
I have my share of heartaches
但我有神来分担我的心痛
which is why I seek His name.
所以我会继续寻求祂的面
When I say..."I am a Christian"
当我说我是基督徒时
I do not wish to judge.
我并不是在评价你
I have no authority.
因为我没有那样的权柄
I only know I'm loved.
我只知道我是被爱着的 12/30/2008 The end of the year is a special time in which editors and writers around the world recycle content from the previous twelve months and repackage it as new content. We at GoKunming are not above this practice, so here's our look at the people and events that shaped 2008 in Kunming and Yunnan.
January
The year began with the Yunnan government shelving its plans to dam Tiger Leaping Gorge, while not necessarily sparing the Jinsha River – the headwaters of the Yangtze – from several new hydropower projects. Kunming banned the use of car horns and the city seemed to be getting a little less horn-heavy for about two weeks. A few days later the city – which is adding an average of 560 automobiles per day to its streets – issued its 900,000th license plate.
Pretty much all of southern China except for Kunming was at the mercy of a winter storm that paralyzed domestic travel and left thousands of travelers stranded in Kunming. Shangri-la (Zhongdian) was hit by heavy snowfalls that destroyed much of the area's livestock and crops plus telecommunications and power networks.
February
Yunnan was hit by a rash of sulfuric acid spills in late January and mid-February with more than 70 tons of the toxic chemical spilling near rivers and most likely entering local water supplies.
Kunming Municipal Party Secretary Qiu He was making waves a few months into his new post, ordering local newspapers to publish the names, titles, responsibilities and phone numbers of local officials in early February and firing a Chenggong investment official who fell asleep during a meeting.
Hong Kong director Stanley Tong signed an agreement with Dianchi National Tourist Resort to build a 3 billion yuan (US$418 million) television and film base that would become 'China's Hollywood'.
Yunnan's first international highway opened, connecting it with Vietnam's Lao Cai province.
March
Construction of the 'turtleback' flyover at Xiao Ximen commenced, throwing Kunming traffic into chaos. Work on the flyover – which is mockingly referred to as 'the newly added slope' (新加坡), or 'Singapore' in Chinese - was finished four months later.
Tens of thousands of bottles of counterfeit beer were found in Kunming's Majie area. The beers are expected to be the tip of the iceberg in terms of the amount of fake booze being sold around the city.
April
China played Australia's Socceroos in a World Cup qualifying match in Kunming that ended in a 0:0 draw. The match looked like a sure victory for China when it was awarded a late penalty kick, only for kicker Shao Jiayi to kick a slow roller into Oz goalie Mark Schwarzer's waiting hands. Team China went on to fail to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The old standby F visa option disappeared for foreigners living in China as visa restrictions tightened in the runup to the Beijing Olympics, while protestors vented nationalist anger at Kunming's Carrefour outlets.
May
The International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences World Congress, originally scheduled to be held in Kunming in July, was canceled - apparently due to Olympic-related security concerns.
On May 12, an earthquake measuring 8.0 in magnitude centered in Wenchuan devastated much of Sichuan province and killed at least 69,000 people. Yunnan did what it could to help its neighbor to the north by treating victims from the disaster zone, taking children into its schools and raising money for the relief effort.
The Yunnan white-handed gibbon was declared extinct.
June
Free plastic bags at retail outlets were banned in China.
The Olympic torch passed through Kunming. The torch was originally scheduled to pass through areas including Beijing Lu, Wenlin Jie and Yuantong Jie, but its route was altered at the last minute, keeping it out of the view of most Kunming residents. The torch continued through Yunnan to the cities of Lijiang and Shangri-la before heading to earthquake-battered Sichuan.
The third hydropower station on the Lancang River – as the upper reaches of the Mekong River in Yunnan are known – went online.
July
Yunnan announced a total ban on the production, sale and use of plastic bags across the province, beginning on January 1, 2009.
Jackie Chan announced that he would open a 'Jackie Chan Peace Garden' outside Kunming in the city of Anning. Meanwhile, Kunming was in the middle of planting 800,000 trees throughout the city.
Two people were killed and 14 injured in double bus bombings that took place on public buses on Renmin Xi Lu. A militant Islamic group took credit for the bombings, a claim which was refuted by local police. The bombings were not declared solved until the suspected bomber blew himself up while trying to plant a bomb in Salvador's Coffee House almost half a year later.
August
After an unprecedented buildup, China hosted the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and several other cities, winning 51 gold medals, more than second-place US (36) and third-place Russian Federation (23).
Kunming unveiled its 12-year development plan, detailing how the city intends to handle a major influx in residents and an increasingly important role in regional trade and transport.
September
It was announced that Yangzonghai Lake, one of the largest lakes in Yunnan, was suffering from heavy arsenic pollution, with the bulk of the blame placed upon Yunnan Chengjiang Jinye Industrial and Trade Company, which allegedly found it easier to pay the relatively low fines for not treating wastewater than to purchase and install the equipment necessary for cleaning wastewater. Shortly afterward, Yunnan established a special court for handling crimes against the environment.
October
A government study of HIV/AIDS infections in Yunnan revealed that that women and gay men had emerged as the fastest-growing demographics for new infections, replacing intravenous drug users. It was also noted that new infections were moving away from ethnic minorities in rural areas to Han Chinese in urban centers throughout the province.
A group of fossilized crustaceans from 525 million years ago found near Chengjiang were said to display the first example of collective behavior among animals.
Citing difficulties with the local business environment, Hong Kong-listed property giant Shui On Land pulled out of its Yunnan development projects.
November
Starbucks announced that it would market Yunnan coffee via its hundreds of mainland outlets.
Kunming Airlines announced that it would launch operations in January 2009, the first step in its quest to become a dominant regional airline.
A delegation of Yunnan officials and businesspeople visiting India asked the Indian government to establish a consulate in Kunming to facilitate the visa application process for Yunnan residents wishing to take advantage of the direct flights between Kunming and the eastern Indian city of Kolkata.
The famed Shaolin Temple announced that it would take over management of four Kunming temples for 20 years, during which time it would receive all of the temples' revenue. Shaolin Temple's abbot was accused of being a 'CEO monk'.
December
A man stabbed three women and took a nurse hostage at the Carrefour on Longquan Lu, before being lured to a door where some rice noodles had been placed for him and getting shot in the head by a police sniper, ending the five-hour standoff.
Ground was broken on the 'South Asian Gate', a 72-story, 316-meter tall building that will be completed in four to five years and will be the tallest man-made structure in Yunnan province. It is expected to serve as a hub for business between China, Southeast Asia and South Asia.
A bomb exploded in popular foreign-owned cafe and restaurant Salvador's Coffee House, killing the man who had placed the bomb in a rear bathroom. Nobody else was hurt. Police concluded that the man, 30-year-old Li Yan of Xuanwei, had also been behind the bombing of two buses in Kunming in July.
Direct flights opened between Kunming and Taipei. GoKunming: Kunming news, events, travel, business, living 12/25/2008 http://sheinchina.blogspot.com/2008/12/she-in-china-in-2009-how-would-u-like.html
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