This post describes actions by four exceptional Chinese people.
Feng Yan Tao
Vera and I flew back to Qingdao on Friday 26 February 2016; we were late checking in for the flight, and ended up in different rows.
I sat next to an elderly couple from Harbin. They had just spent a month in Sanya, Hainan - isn't it interesting that now some folk, at least the better off, "go south" for part of the winter (just like Canadians going down to Florida).
It turned out the lady had been a college English teacher. I mentioned that I had a similar job at the China University of Petroleum (UPC).
When we landed in Qingdao a man in the row in front of me said that he had overheard us. He said that he and his wife lived near the UPC campus, and offered to give us a ride.
Wow, what a nice offer. Totally unexpected. We had planned to catch the Airport Bus to our suburb (Huangdao, about 80 km), and then get a taxi, but this sounded much better.
He introduced himself as Feng Yan Tao (English name Ivan). He is a senior marketing executive in Haier, a very large manufacturer of home appliances (refrigerators etc) which has its headquarters in Qingdao. He and his wife had been on a business trip to Shanghai.
We got 'home' in half the time it would have taken by bus, which was welcome after a long, tiring day.
What a wonderful, friendly gesture by a total stranger reaching out with a kindness. Well done, Ivan, you set a good example. If we all did little kindnesses like this, the world would be a better place!
Ren Zhi Qiang
Towards the end of February we spent a few days in Hong Kong, on our way back to Qingdao for the new semester.
I read in the South China Morning Post newspaper that President Xi Jin Ping visited a number of media outlets, including CCTV, and emphasised that they must promote the Communist Party of China and its policies.
The SCMP article noted that the next day one of China's most popular bloggers, Ren Zhi Qiang, wrote on his Weibo twitter-blog that the media is not part of the formal CPC structure; he said that the media is paid for by citizens' taxes, and as such it should serve the people, not the Party.
This was most unusual - what would happen? We didn't have to wait long to find out.
Two days later the Cyberspace Administration of China, China's internet watchdog, accused Mr Ren of 'spreading illegal information and disrupting social harmony' and ordered the immediate closure of his social media accounts.
Goodbye Mr Ren.
Who is Ren Zhi Qiang?
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In 1968, during the Cultural Revolution, Ren was "sent to the countryside"; the following year he enlisted in the Peoples Liberation Army. At the age of 30 he joined a State Owned Enterprise in Beijing and rose through the management ranks.
He took the company into property development, caught the boom, and became very successful and very rich.
Mr Ren became known for his outspoken views, including criticisms of Government policies. For example, when people complained about rising property prices he had a simple solution: "anyone who can't afford a house in the city should go back to the countryside".
Comments like that did not endear him to the masses. At a public meeting a frustrated man threw his shoes at Mr Ren.
Mr Ren retired from business a couple of years ago, and started blogging. The more controversial his comments, the bigger his following. In the end his twitter-blog had almost 38 million followers, more than the population of many countries.
His shoot-from-the-hip and take-no-prisoners style earned him the nickname "The Cannon".
Remind you of anyone? He has been dubbed "China's Donald Trump".
Mr Ren was muzzled on the eve of his 65th birthday.
Unlike The Don, it's doubtful we'll hear from The Cannon again.
Hou Yi Fan
On 14 March 2016 Hou Yi Fan beat Maria Muzychuk to become the new Women's World Chess Champion.
Actually, Hou became the World Champion for the first time in 2010, at the tender age of 16. This is the third time she has got the crown, and she is still only 22 years old.
Hou was born on 27 February 1994 in Jiangsu Province. Her father, a local magistrate, bought her a chess set when she was 3 years old. Within a short time she was beating her father.
When she was 5 a local chess master became her mentor; at the age of 13 she was China's youngest-ever National Womens Champion; and at 16 became World Champion for the first time.
Hou is one of only 3 women to break into the "Top 100 Chess Players in the World" - she is currently ranked #73.
What an amazing talent.
Lin Dan
On 13 March 2016 Lin Dan won his sixth All England Mens Single Badminton title.
Lin Dan was born on 14 October 1983 in Fujian Province. His parents tried to interest him in the piano, but that hope quickly vanished when he was introduced to badminton at the age of 5.
Lin is nicknamed "Super Dan " by his fans. He is 1.76m tall, and weighs in at 68 kg.
By the age of 28 he had completed the Super Grand Slam having won all nine major titles in world badminton - still the only player to achieve that feat. He is undoubtedly the best badminton player ever.
Lin has won the World Badminton Championships five times, and Olympic Gold twice (Beijing 2008, London 2012). Fingers crossed that he gets a third Gold Medal at the Rio Olympics later this year.
What a guy!
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That's all for this post.
Keep well, and keep smiling.
Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Thursday, 31 March 2016
