Biased Chinese

In an information-rich world, the wealth of information means a dearth of something else: a scarcity of whatever it is that information consumes. What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that m...

On the the 7th of April Trump posted : “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to ​be brought back ​again. I don’t want that ‌to happen, but it probably will. We will find out tonight, one of ​the most important ​moments in the long and complex history of the ​World.” A lot of people were shocked by this blatant threat. But anyone with intelligence can tell by the text how desperate he is, w...

On the first day of March, the world woke up immediately drown into the news of the death of Ali Khamenei and US attack on Iran. Trump continued wielding his knife and stabbed the people of his same kind from the back with smug. Obviously he didn’t realize that it’s easy to start it but hard to end like his crisp Venezela blitz. Personally, I shared the joy with my Iranian friend who’s living abro...

There’s famous phrase on politics in ancient china, around 300 BC, Zhuangzi, a representative of Daoism gave the insight about his current society as follows: 窃钩者诛 窃国者侯 (Here is one who steals a hook - he is put to death for it: here is another who steals a state - he becomes its prince.) That’s the reason why people despise the politics. Over three thousand years till now, we still see it...

Unsurprisingly, the first fire of 2026 was lit up by the USA. On the third of January, I believe, most people’s attention worldwide was given to Venezuela, since their dictator-president Nicolas Madura was snatched up by the the US task force from pentagon and transferred to New York City over night. It is a huge slap in the face to China indeed because on the same day in the afternoon, before Mad...

If you know anything about Chinese YinYangBaGua, you’d know that the year of 2026 is a year of Fire, which usually means violence and war. So when I saw the PLA (People’s Liberation Army)’s action on Taiwan the day before the New Year’s Eve, I took it seriously. Immediately I messaged my Taiwanese friend to think about a plan B. She asked me in return, why don’t you mainlanders resist, I told her...

I’ve always been thinking about the question since I entered university : what’s wrong with China ? I read a lot of peoples viewpoints, Chinese and foreigners, dead and alive, and I also asked some in person. But I’ve never got a clear answer on it. At least not clear enough for me. Because a clearly defined problem comes up with a clear solution trajectory, which I haven’t seen in any of them. Bu...

Don’t ask a Chinese what’s your dream, instead, you should ask them what’s your fear. Because being able to and being allowed to pursue your dream is such a privilege that only applies to a small number in China. In reality, most is driven by fear. To a Chinese, to fully realize their fear and overcome it is such a big step in their life. Such a step demands courage, which is a rare trait even amo...

You should make it personal, whatever it is. This is the latest lesson that Chinese people showed on their action to Chinese government. It can apply to your world as well. Ditch those five w journalistic neutral crap. Every action is initiated by a person, not an institution, nor a company, nor an organization. If you read a news but in the end you don’t find a single person accountable, you’re j...

What’s the color for August? In China, I can guarantee you, it’s red. Because historically Japan announced its surrender at mid-august in WWII, ending its invading and colonization in China. Also, the army of Chinese Communist Party , called The people’s Liberation army usually celebrates its anniversary on August first . It’s a month of force and victory. Coincidentally, we did see several intere...

July 2025. It’s been almost two years since I left China. But I have never been able to distance myself from the Chinese society due to the Internet and the social media. Or more profoundly speaking, since I’m a Chinese, I only care about what’s happening in China. It relates to my interest, my identity, my link to collective memory, thus my relationship with my fellow Chinese. It’s our story, I d...

Today, April 10th, BBC China just posted an interview on Chinese’s People responses towards Trump’s Tariffs. None of the interviewees are really worried, to be honest, so am I. I’ll explain it to you as a Chinese myself, and I hope this episode would reach some decision-makers who’re hesitating and tortured by the anxiety and uncertainty. First of all, I want to mention something interesting about...

It takes me a while to realise that: I hate my cousin. But it takes me years to say this out loud to my friends and eventually to confess it to my parents. When I use the word « hate », I mean I don’t wish anything best to this person. It may sound mental, but it’s a kind of feeling that if her life’s successful, it would prove my life’s wrong. Perhaps this is my most deeply rooted bias. But now,...

I’ve been mean to read this book for a long time, but due to the censorship in China and busy life, I’ve never had the chance. Then this year, I stumbled across this book when my office was planning to move place and clearing the bookshelf, a colleague from Russia handed this book to me, said « it’s a really nice one, do you wanna keep it ?» Do you see, every elements in the scene is interesting....

Do you think China will become democracy? Recently, more than one asked me this question. By answering them, I find my own belief as well. But before answering this question, I need make it clear for someone who bought the saying that China is democratic. I don’t know how far away you live, or how stupid you are. But I use my Chinese nationality and my 30 years life swear to God, there is no such...

I have to tell you something from a Chinese perspective, a sensation that a lot of Chinese people in the mainland are sharing at this moment, and I leave this message in June 2024, in case our worry comes true. The sensation is that « we’re going to invade Taiwan soon » . There are two things underneath this phrase: 1. the percentage is high, I mean, the chance of invading Taiwan is big now in our...

In this episode, I’m going to tell you something sneaky. It’s bad, the value within is distorted, it’s simply sneaky, and no Chinese would tell you foreigners for the sake of decency. It’s bad again, but it’s damn useful. So I’ll play the bad guy here to let you know, in the hope that you can make good friends with the right Chinese you imagined. First how many Chinese overseas? Let me quote a mai...

In my last episode on Cultural Revolution, I’ve given my conclusion that a cyber cultural revolution is currently unfolding in China. It could be viewed as my personal observation or prediction. And here I am, Why do I say so? First, I have to ask you: Have you ever been attacked on the net? Seriously, like tens of thousands people commenting on your post, and most of the comments is personal judg...

What’s the current Chinese culture? It’s a combination of Patriarchal Confucius with Totalitarian Orwellian system. Yes, you’re right. There is no such thing as human rights in China because the totalitarian collectivism prevails. You benefit when you are in the great number, but you lose all when you belong to the small number. And your fate is like drawing lottery, 99% of Chinese have the turn t...

There was a time when every Chinese admitted that Cultural Revolution is a mistake, an abhorrent period in our Morden history. This consensus was already reached in 1980s and 1990s China. At least when I was a student, what I read in my history textbook, it was literally recorded as a « mistake ». As teenage students, teenage like me, took this idea for granted. Whenever we talked about « cultural...

First, I presume that you know, there are two Tik Toks in this world. A Chinese version called « Dou Yin », then another international version called « tik tok ». They are the same, but due to different audience, and the existence of Great Fire Wall, bytedance, its mother company, separated the business.  And, I also presume that you know the real boss of Tik Tok is not th...

If you have never heard about CCTV, that’s fine. Don’t take it as the camera in front of your door. It’s an acronyme for China Central Television, namely the propaganda machine for Chinese Communist Party. Every day from 7 to 7:30 PM, the TVs across China turn into the same screen. This phenomenon still goes until today even though like the trend worldwide, people watch less and less TV.  You...

« Some foreigners who’re into minding others’ business, recently poked hands towards our affairs. China, first of all, doesn’t stir up revolution in other countries, secondly we don’t contribute to famine and poverty, thirdly, we don’t mind your business. Period. » This is the speech given by Xi Jinping in 2009 Mexico when he met local Chinese community.  The first time that Joe Bid...

Looking back, I think it’s kind of fate that the first week I entered into the biggest media group in my city, I read Carrie Gracie’s report on Xi’s power grabbing game with Bo Xilai in 2017. It’s a really long article, called « The murder in the Lucky Holiday Hotel ». It was quite fascinating while I was reading, as a post graduate student majored in English Literature who entered her journalist...

Last Saturday on January 13th, Taiwan had witnessed the coming of its fourth democratically elected president. I count it the way I see after the term of Li Denghui. A bitter truth for me, as Chinese mainlander, is that the Tiananmen Square protest in China was one big drive for the democratic reform in Taiwan. What we have failed on this side, they succeeded in replace. And I suddenly have an int...