News and Culture: Singles Day

In order to force myself to read more about Chinese news and culture I've decided that I'm going to do a discussion/homework style post every week - this way we can all be well informed :-). Don't worry though, I'll try and include all the usual levels of wit and academically profound writing style.

This week's post is going to focus on the Chinese 'pop-culture' holiday Singles Day or 光棍节 [guangunjie], which takes place on the 11th of November. No, they don't celebrate Armistice Day in China. Although 节[jié] in this context means 'festival', as you don't get any time off and Hallmark doesn't make a card for it, I think just 'day' or even 'evening' would be a much more appropriate translation. Originating in Nanjing University in 1993, Single's Day is meant to be celebrated with single friends either eating dinner or going on 'blind dates' to bid farewell to their single lives. It's also a day where Chinese people depart from their usual manner of trying to pay for everyone else and everyone pays for themselves instead, sort of as a show of independence.

According to Wikipedia [look, it's not coursework ok?]: "For breakfast on Singles Day, singles often eat four Youtiao (deep-fried dough sticks) representing the four "ones" in "11.11" and one Baozi(steamed stuffed bun) representing the middle dot." See, you learn something new everyday. Did you know they were planning on making a card for it? Although, someone pointed out "who would send a card to a single person?"...Slightly harsh.

We went to our usual haunt [if you don't know it's Hopscotch, you obviously haven't been reading the blog very carefully], and I saw the most Chinese people I had ever seen there. We had remarked that the number of Chinese coming to H lately had been more than usual, but seriously. It's like they had all been at home being too busy and single to ever come out before - but here they all were, all at once. DJ Jiaozi [you remember him?] was going around handing out glow-stick wristbands to all singles, so that they were easily identifiable. However, as some of my Chinese friends told me, there weren't any 帅哥[guys, specifically good-looking on a day like this] to tempt them. We went to a Chinese club later as well and, as expected, that was packed too. Although it could have just been a typical Friday night.

So, to sum up: Singles Day, get involved! I think it would help liven up Armistice day as well: a sober day followed by a not-so-sober evening. To be honest, from what I've seen the Chinese one is pretty tame so they might be a bit offended by a western take on the whole thing, especially if there's a Geordie Shore Special on it.


A couple of other news items:
1. The Chinese seem suspiciously excited that Berlusconi is resigning - 'Berlusconi resigns, crowds in Rome celebrate'. Also, I love how the new guy in charge is called Mario - go Italy!
2. Did you know they're opening an Angry Birds shop?! Come on now people... '1st Angry Birds shop
3.Pandas coming to Edinburgh! Now I will actually have to go to Edinburgh Zoo...again when I get back - Pandas coming soon to UK
4. For those of you who actually care about China's economy [Tim], a little light reading about the woes of protectionism - China's boom a boon to US business


Aaaannnnd finally, I couldn't be bothered to find an article about it, but congratulations World on containing 7 billion people! Random interesting fact, did you know the population of the world has more than doubled in the past 50 years? Another fact, 25% of the world's population is on the 406 bus that I get to Uni every morning.

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