Yanwen’s blog

12/27/2024

We are staying at my son's place while he and his family are in Hong Kong. On Christmas Day, my daughter came over, and we spent the afternoon walking and chatting along the Brooklyn waterfront. During our conversation, she shared some reflections from her recent trip to China.

One aspect she found challenging was adapting to China’s internet firewall, which blocks access to many websites Americans use daily, like Google, Facebook, and Twitter. "It’s like creating two separate worlds—one inside China and one outside," she remarked.

This led us to discuss the concept of 话语权 (huà yǔ quán), a term she was unfamiliar with. It translates to "discourse power" or "the power to shape narratives." It refers to the authority or influence a person, organization, or country has in defining discussions, shaping opinions, or controlling narratives.

Drawing from Michel Foucault’s theories, "discourse power" describes how power operates through language, story creation and knowledge production. Those in control of discourse shape what is accepted as "truth" in a society, influencing how people think—not through direct force, but through the creation and dissemination of knowledge, "facts," and narratives.

First, China does not have discourse power on the global stage. In an international media landscape dominated by Western outlets and the English language, Western countries hold a disproportionate influence over global opinions, cultural narratives, explanations, and perceptions. This imbalance places China at a disadvantage, making it challenging for the nation to defend its cultural, social, and political reality effectively.

Secondly, from the Chinese government’s perspective, the firewall is a response to this global imbalance. It aims to shield domestic narratives from being overwhelmed or distorted by the dominant Western discourse. By controlling information flows, the firewall protects and promotes Chinese perspectives within its borders, preserving the country’s sovereignty over information and fostering a sense of national identity.

Third, this actually acts, reacts and reenforces a vicious cycle. The Chinese government views platforms like Google, Facebook, and Twitter as vehicles for Western narratives. The overwhelmingly negative portrayal of China confirms this view, reinforcing the belief that Western media is biased and that a firewall is necessary to safeguard China's narrative independence.

This separation of information ecosystems, as my daughter aptly put it, results in "two separate worlds"—one shaped by Western media and the other curated by Chinese government policies.

Rather than criticizing the firewall solely as censorship, I hope my children—and others—can understand it as a respond to the global imbalance of narrative power. The firewall reflects China’s effort to assert and maintain its voice on the world stage and reclaim its place in shaping global discourse.

12/26/2024

Recently, a friend of mine traveled to South America. While browsing Brazilian websites out of curiosity, I stumbled upon an article that immediately caught my attention. It connected two topics I’ve been exploring lately: desert management and poverty alleviation in China.

The article reported: "Discover how China used rabbits in the Chinese desert to reverse desertification and thrive. ... China surprised the world by transforming the Dalad Banner (达拉特旗, Dá Lā Tè Qí) desert into a lush green oasis. How? By releasing 1.2 million rabbits into the desert!"

At first, I could hardly believe it. I had never heard of this story before. Intrigued, I researched further and confirmed every detail. Surprisingly, while it isn’t widely known outside China, it’s far from new. Here’s the story:

Zhao Yongliang, a native of Dalad Banner in Inner Mongolia, had long dreamed of tackling the desertification that plagued his hometown. He initially experimented with planting sand willow trees but faced numerous challenges. Then, he stumbled upon a remarkable discovery.

In one area, the survival rate of trees soared to 95%, sharply contrasting with the barren sands nearby. Zhao investigated and found that otter rabbits were unusually active in this patch of land.

After further observation, Zhao uncovered an incredible phenomenon. Otter rabbits dig for grass roots and feed on dry grass. In the process, they naturally loosen and aerate the sandy soil, revitalizing its structure. A natural soil-loosening machine! This activity, combined with the rabbits’ droppings and urine, enriches the soil with organic matter, transforming it from barren sand into fertile ground.

Traditional desert management methods couldn’t achieve this kind of soil improvement. Inspired, Zhao and his team developed the idea of raising otter rabbits on a large scale. The sand willows provided food for the rabbits, and the rabbits, in turn, helped improve the soil. This led to the establishment of China’s largest otter rabbit breeding facility in the Kubuqi Desert.

The Unique Value of Otter Rabbits

Otter rabbits, also known as rex rabbits, are exceptionally versatile and highly fertile. The arid climate of the desert is ideal for their growth, and those raised in the Kubuqi Desert produce even higher-quality fur. Beyond their ecological contributions, the rabbits offer significant economic benefits:

1.  Luxury Fur: Their fur is used to make high-end garments.  

2. Food Products: Their meat is processed into premium food items.  

3. Biological Products: Their blood is used in creating biomedicine.  

4. Surgical Sutures: Their intestines are turned into surgical threads.  

5. Pharmaceuticals: Their organs are utilized in drug production.  

6. Fertilizer: Their manure serves as an organic fertilizer, ideal for turning deserts into fertile land and cultivating mushrooms.  

Impact on Desertification and Poverty

To date, over 8 million rex rabbits have been introduced into the heart of the Kubuqi Desert, significantly enhancing reforestation efforts. The initiative achieved a tree survival rate of 95%, a staggering success in such an arid environment.

This project has had a dual impact:  

1. Poverty Elimination: It has lifted 20,000 farmers out of poverty.

2. Environmental Restoration: It has transformed vast desert expanses into fertile oases.

By February 26, 2013, the story had been featured in major Chinese media, highlighting the striking contrast created by this initiative. On one side of the desert lies a sea of sand dunes; on the other, a lush oasis spanning tens of thousands of hectares.

China’s innovative use of otter rabbits demonstrates how ecological restoration and poverty alleviation can go hand in hand, offering valuable lessons for combating poverty and desertification worldwide.

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas! Today, I’m stepping away from my usual coverage of China’s deserts to share two related stories in my life recently.  

First, The Puppy Challenge

During my last meeting with my Korean student, she seemed overwhelmed by her new 8-week-old puppy. The little one wakes up every two hours at night, barking and demanding attention. If she ignores him, he just keeps barking. Her husband uses earbuds, her daughter isn’t bothered—but for her, the relentless barking is a major headache!

She told me she’d only slept two hours the previous night and was utterly exhausted. We even had to cut our meeting short because she was so drained.  

Afterward, I reached out to a friend who had faced similar challenges with their own puppy. I picked up a few helpful tips and shared them with my student the next morning. In many ways, raising a puppy is like raising a baby. Here’s what I learned:

1. Tire Him Out   A tired puppy is more likely to sleep longer. Engage him in plenty of physical activities, especially in the evening.  

2. Create a Calm Environment   Set up a quiet, relaxing space for him to sleep.

3. Introduce a Playpen or Crate   Train him to feel comfortable in a playpen or crate during the day. This way, he’ll see it as a safe and familiar space to sleep at night.

4. Ignore Attention-Seeking Barking   Like babies, puppies often bark to get attention. If you respond to it, you reinforce the behavior. Ignore the barking to teach him that it won’t get results. However, if he seems genuinely distressed, comfort him gently—but don’t take him out of the pen or hold him unless he needs a nighttime potty break.

5. Time Your Discipline   There’s a crucial time window for effective discipline: it’s best to establish good habits before your puppy turns 8 months old and enters adolescence. After that, it may become harder to correct unwanted behaviors.  

Finally, remember: your puppy isn’t human. Crate training goes against his natural instincts as a free-roaming animal. Be patient, stay consistent, and prepare for the process to take time.

Second, The Language Learning Window

This brings me to my second story. A young relative of mine plans to send his two sons to a summer camp in America next year to learn English. Naturally, I was wondering: how much English can they learn in a single summer?  

I remember advising him back in 2015 to expose his new-born baby to American cartoons and simple English stories, much like how my own children learned Chinese here in America. Recently, I suggested that the boys can learn English by watching American soap operas. His response? “They don’t understand a word and won’t watch.”

I see a missed window here. If the kids had been exposed to American cartoons from their infant days, they might have absorbed the language effortlessly. 

Much like training a puppy, learning a language also has a time window. When we start young, the process is natural and almost effortless.

Both stories highlight the importance of timing in development—whether for a puppy or a human baby. Start early, and the process becomes easier and smoother; wait too long, and it gets exponentially harder.

Finally, in both puppy training and language learning, the owner and parents play a crucial role because puppies and babies are too young to know what’s good for them—they rely entirely on guidance and consistency from their owner and parents.

12/24/2024

Approximately 20% of China’s territory is covered by deserts, totaling an area of around 1.9 million square kilometers—roughly equivalent to 13.5 New York States. Among China’s deserts, the Taklamakan Desert (塔克拉玛干沙漠, Tǎkèlāmǎgān Shāmò) stands out as one of the most inhospitable and historically significant landscapes.

Spanning roughly 130,000 square miles, the Taklamakan Desert is the world’s second-largest shifting sand desert. Its surface is dominated by 85% shifting sand dunes, some towering up to an impressive 984 feet. 

Known as the "Sea of Death," this desert endures extremely low annual precipitation and offers an arid environment that has long challenged the limits of human courage and resilience.

Despite its harshness, the Taklamakan holds profound historical importance. It lies at the heart of the ancient Silk Road, a vital network of trade routes connecting China to the Middle East and Europe. Travelers often skirted its edges, as crossing its treacherous expanse was perilous. Beneath its sands lie the remnants of many ancient cities, once flourishing hubs of culture and commerce, now swallowed by time and sand.

However, the Taklamakan is more than a historical landmark—it has become a pressing environmental concern. The New York Times reported that China's deserts expanded annually by more than 1,300 square miles, exacerbated by climate change and human activities, which accelerated desertification and buried many villages in its path.

Transformative Efforts to Tame the Desert

In recent decades, China has embarked on ambitious and innovative measures to combat the expansion of the Taklamakan Desert, reflecting its broader strategies for ecosystem restoration and sustainable development.

The "Great Green Wall": Recently, China completed a 3,046-kilometer-long green shelterbelt encircling the desert. This monumental effort, dubbed the "Great Green Wall," serves as a vital barrier to halt the desert's advance toward arable land and human settlements. It involves planting drought-resistant trees and shrubs capable of stabilizing sand dunes and thriving in the arid environment.

Taklamakan Desert Highway Shelterbelt: To support key infrastructure, such as the Tarim Desert Highway, China has established a plant-based shelterbelt along the road. This green corridor is irrigated by underground water systems, stabilizing the shifting sands and ensuring that the highway operates smoothly despite the desert’s encroachment.

AI-Driven Reforestation with Robots: Most recently, China has deployed 8,000 solar-powered, AI-driven robots, manufactured by Huawei, to revolutionize desert management. These robots can:

  - Operate 24/7, unaffected by extreme conditions such as heat, dryness, and sandstorms.

  - Automate the whole processes of digging, planting, watering, monitoring saplings and progress updating.

  - Use autonomous driving technology to navigate the desert, avoiding vegetation and obstacles to protect fragile soil layers.

This cutting-edge technology exponentially enhances efficiency and reduces the need for human involvement, marking a groundbreaking approach to desert reforestation.

A Triumph Over Adversity

Finally, China’s efforts to transform the Taklamakan Desert exemplify a remarkable blend of engineering ingenuity, technological innovation, and ecological and environmental stewardship. 

Initiatives such as the 'Great Green Wall' and AI-driven reforestation not only showcase effective strategies for combating desertification but also set a precedent for countries worldwide facing similar challenges, particularly under the growing threat of climate change. 

By turning one of the world’s most desolate landscapes into a model of environmental restoration, China is not only redefining sustainable development but also providing inspiration and practical solutions with profound and far-reaching global implications.

12/23/2024

Recently, I stumbled across the concept of Taobao Villages -- a fascinating phenomenon that highlights how China's rural areas are transforming in the digital age. Taobao is an online shopping platform like eBay and Amazon.

Over the past three decades, one striking feature of China's social and economic landscape has been the emergence of Hollow Villages. 

In the early 1990s, a massive migration saw millions of young people leaving their rural homes for jobs in big cities, often working behind assembly lines that produced goods destined for shelves in Walmart and other retailers worldwide. 

This exodus left villages populated by the elderly, the sick, children, and some women—resulting in abandoned homes, overgrown fields, and a pervasive sense of neglect and desolation.

These Hollow Villages were described starkly:  "Outside, it looks like a village, but inside, you see no soul. Old houses stand empty, and fields are overrun with weeds."

While these migrant workers fueled China's industrial boom, the hollowing of villages led to a host of social problems: entrenched poverty, lack of education, food insecurity, and a sense of hopelessness for those left behind, particularly children.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the government initiated a series of poverty alleviation policies, allocating funds and implementing measures to revitalize rural areas. Businesses also joined these efforts, and their innovations began to breathe life back into these once-desolate villages.

Reviving Villages with Taobao Villages

In October 2014, Alibaba launched the Thousand Counties, Ten Thousand Villages initiative, creating Rural Taobao as part of its strategy to bridge the urban-rural divide. The initiative provided villagers with internet access, training, and tools to set up online stores on Taobao platform, enabling them to sell agricultural products and local specialties to a broader market.  

The results have been remarkable. Many former Hollow Villages have transformed into thriving Taobao Villages. By 2019, China boasted over 30,000 such villages. Rural e-commerce sales reached an impressive 1.7 trillion yuan, with agricultural product sales accounting for 397.5 billion yuan.

To qualify as a Taobao Village, at least 10% of the population must be involved in e-commerce, and the village's total Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) must exceed $1.4 million.  

Take Bainiu (白牛村, (Bái, Niú Cūn)  as an example. Located 102 kilometers from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, this small village of fewer than 1,600 residents now hosts 56 online stores, generating annual sales of over 20 million yuan. Bainiu, known for its walnut products, is a shining example of how rural communities can achieve economic revitalization through e-commerce. China's advanced infrastructure forms the backbone of its rapid e-commerce delivery system, enabling swift and efficient transactions.

Reviving Villages with Rural Tourism  

Another successful approach to rural development is tourism, which has become a growing trend among urban Chinese residents. Rural tourism not only attracts an increasing number of visitors but also significantly boosts local incomes with hotels and restaurants.

For example, CNBC highlighted how China’s push to promote rural tourism has stimulated consumption in rural areas and the domestic market. The Village Super League (村超) in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, is one innovative model. During its May 2023 event, the county recorded 1.241 billion yuan in total tourism revenue—a 52.08% year-on-year increase.

A Global Model  

China’s transformation of Hollow Villages into thriving Taobao Villages and hot tourism spots serves as a compelling model with global significance. These innovative approaches demonstrate how digital integration and experiential economies can breathe new life into rural villages, creating opportunities that extend far beyond China.