While doing some research I found a photograph of the Japanese occupation of Guangzhou in 1938. The photo is of course not mine but part of a public archive. The soldiers tell one story, and the billboard tells another. The image should look familiar if you visit any supermarket in China, Malaysia, or Thailand. It's the same used for Darlie tooth paste. This is a commercial for"Darkie" tooth paste, a Shanghai company which mimicked American stereotypes of black people. The "Darkie" title was still used across Asia until 1985. This is the idotic notion that dark skin equals clean teeth. A similar image was used to sell a German tooth paste known as url=http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Chlorodont-Toothpaste-Posters... read more

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Almost three years ago I lived in Zhuhai's Mei Li Wan Apartments, and saw several new high rises sprout up across the street. In two years I never saw a body or piece of furnature inside the buildings. Noone comming or going. I came back for a visit the other day and decided to ask how much an apartment was and who lived there? The answer was 20,600 RMB per square meter, which makes a person wonder: who lives here? The answer is noone. Allegedly retired people from northern cities have invested, but no renters. Though last year China saw a 40% drop in housing sales. The three year old complex has map of the url=http://www.arup.com/Projects/Hong_Kong_Zhuhai_Macau_Bridge.aspx#%21lb:/Projects/Hong_Kong_Zhuhai_Macau_Bridge/Hong_Kong_Zhuhai_Macau_Bridge_Gallery_2.aspxHong Kong Zhuha... read more

When visiting my future inlaws in the city of Zhangjiang I learned about a brief occupation of the French in 1898. The former French Consolate building has been renovated into a museum. One commonality of cities in the East is that their European landmarks are often times the oldest and best kept structures in the city, while Chinese architecture crumbles and owners wait for Chai Chen. Money after demoliton. Most Chinese cities maintain physical structures that reflect either Imperial History or Colonial history, while recent history remains most in danger. Examples of Eurocentric preservation in China: Macau's Seranado Square, The Waterfront of Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, Guangzhou's Shamien Island, The protection of German Buildings in Qingdao, St. Sophia Church and Stalin Park in Harbin. Even structures built during the Japanese occupation hold priority for China's ... read more

Lifa is a barbershop located behind South China Normal Unversity in Tianhe. The nighborhood is fairly wealthy, though along a defunt railroad track resides a shanty town of homes made from completely found materials. I noticed the small neighborhood when going for a walk I saw several elderly men and women walking down an abandoned railroad. So naturally I fallowed them to see where it led. The owner was quite friendly, asked me how long I'd been in town and if I wanted a hair cut. He didn't mind me taking pictures. I asked him how long he'd been in the area and the only response was, 'long time.' With a bit of a chuckle. Most of the residents in the area keep watch dogs, though no dogs were overly hostile. The roof was made with ... read more