我像一盒名牌的香烟，我塞进了穷人的口袋
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Alexander Boyd
@alexludoboyd
peoplesrepublic.substack.comJoined October 2019
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my fault for going to Capitol Hill Books on an early Sunday afternoon but I think the point still stands
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I’m calling for a complete and total shutdown on bookstore dates in DC until we can figure out what the hell is going on
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The annual Two Sessions “trending words” poll is live. One notable addition is “Coordinating pandemic controls with economic development.” Let’s see how “Opening & Reform” fares. Standard otherwise. “Social security”consistently wins. “Rural vitilziation” a recent interloper.
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I’m no expert, nor am I claiming it’s easy! But it’s just funny because the signals have to be blared like this so that Party members and ordinary people in China pick up on them… which makes it easy for outsiders to grasp the rough outlines of policy signals
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Some people: “Chinese politics is a black box. It takes a seer gifted by the gods with a unique insight to understand anything meaningful.”
China’s Yahoo; “SIGNAL! Top Provinciall Party Leaders All Make This Move On The Same Day.”
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This screenshot from the press conference on the death of 15-year-old Hu Xinyu is being shared on Weibo. Shows officials fastidiously ignoring the only reporter to raise their hand to ask a question. Netizens view at as emblematic of state of journalism in China today
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Lots of 《流浪气球》 jokes on Weibo right now. In the original Chinese, it’s a pun on the film “The Wandering Earth.” In English, it’s the far less snazzy “The Wandering Balloon.”
(Nobody on Weibo is buying that it’s a civilian balloon, for what that’s worth.)
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Photo: Balloon Seller, Chaoyang Park, by Ryan Taylor
chinadigitaltimes.net/2023/02/photo-
read image description
ALT
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In a new issue of my newsletter Changpian, I discuss Chinese non-fiction accounts of Chinese pandemic control in 2022 and its extremely heavy toll. Check it out if of interest. tinyletter.com/tabithaspeelma
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also funny to me that Global Times mentions the suit but elides Shen Yi’s name… probably because he’s their go-to quote
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Almost have to hand it to Shen Yi. He’s an inveterate rumor monger with an unparalleled ability to insert himself into ANY controversy. “See you in court!” is Trumpian.
(This is his response to being sued by Zhang Yimou’s“Full River Red” 《满江红》for alleging box office fraud.)
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also, D.C.-area China people, I’m going to make a concerted effort to actually join the community beyond Twitter this year. Will be reaching out through email & DM in the weeks and months ahead. My DM’s are always open too. Looking forward to getting to know you in real life!
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idk what I was doing with the comma there but my point stands!
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Arthur is a very thoughtful guy I’m so lucky to work with every day. Welcome, to Twitter under your real name!
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Hey followers,
This is the same person and account, just no longer under a pen name. I’ve been working as an editor @CDT English for the past year and a half, and will now be using my real name, Arthur.
Here are some thoughts on this change in case you’re curious…
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Truly honored to be included among this cohort of journalists. Thank you to for the opportunity!
Looking forward to pursuing ambitious freelance projects in the year ahead
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AMS proudly presents the 2023 Next-Generation Journalists @alexludoboyd, @jordynhaime, @arthur_kaufman_, and @JacobLKessler. A huge thanks to mentors @melissakchan, @mcgregorrichard, @keithrichburg and @ael_o and to @CarnegieCorp for funding!
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aaaaaand this article has now been censored. preserved by the superlative team at
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A report on living under energy rationing in Hebei as villages transition from coal to gas.
Hardships on hardships.
chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/692154
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If anyone has recommendations for things to do in Ciudad Chihuahua or along the route of El Chepe, would love to hear them! Headed there tomorrow
Should you wear a mask?
Yes, but not as a public health measure—only so that your coworkers can't recognize you in TikToks about Shandong people bowing for the New Year
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"A Shandong Boy's Guide To Post-Pandemic New Years Homecomings," a tongue-in-cheek primer
Should you admit you've gotten COVID? Yes, but play it down, nobody'll be impressed by your "pain" unless you had it REALLY bad... in which case blame it on a lack of chives outside of SD.
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RATS, CATS, ROGUES, AND HEROES
Examines the hidden histories and social consciousness of people on society's margins -- as revealed through ritual, myth, folklore and hearsay. The fruit of decades of fieldwork in rural China.
January 2023
rowman.com/ISBN/978153816
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quick write-up on the provenance of this screenshot: a novel way to disseminate Xi's word, faux WeChat video calls that noticeably lack a "reject call" button
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Labor Issue, Part 2: Chinese doctors on Covid frontlines + the secret life of Mom’s beanies, and more
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"Zhang has tracheitis and a nasty cough. He went to the county hospital for scans on the 15th. The doctor said he had pneumatoceles and that his tracheitis was severe—'it's important you stay warm.' Zhang could only laugh. 'I bought a bit more gas that I'll save for the new year'
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A report on living under energy rationing in Hebei as villages transition from coal to gas.
Hardships on hardships.
chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/692154
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(this is a real image from CCTV's Weibo btw, article up soon)
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When you've been slacking on Xuexi Qiangguo...
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Simply love listening to NBA games on the radio. Reminds me of bus trips back home from away games
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In early December, China dismantled its “zero-COVID” policy. Within a month, the virus was everywhere. Sixth Tone’s traveled to remote villages in the southwestern province of Sichuan, where she witnessed firsthand how the virus surge has inundated local hospitals.
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I've drawn from the Jikipedia well so many times when translating WeChat essays, here's a selection of the 梗 I learned — was so great at offering context: 是不是不发火把人当傻子, 用魔法打败魔法, 谐音梗扣钱, 冲塔
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Jikipedia (小鸡词典), a hugely useful dictionary of online slang, has "been forced" to indefinitely suspended all operations because they'd "run into a few insurmountable obstacles"
huge loss for all us internet-obsessed types
h/t
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The whole essay is worth a read. Here is one among many moving passages:
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frankly incredible that this essay on funerary traditions in rural Laiwu, Shandong was censored. shows political sensitivity of COVID death toll.
paper horses usually go for 100 rmb but now cost 300-500 and artisans are turning down business
chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/692120
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looking for rigorous histories, recs can be in Spanish.
Would also love to get a tip in the right direction for who to follow on here/where to read on contemporary Mexican society & politics
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Anyone have good recommendations for readings on modern Mexican history? Been on a kick recently, just finished Katz' The Life and Times of Pancho Villa, & reading lots of fiction set in Chihuahua/northern MX (Los de Abajo, Border Trilogy, 2666) + Paz's The Labyrinth of Solitude
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btw, here’s how you can track Elon’s jet: instagram.com/elonmusksjet/?
The safety argument is completely specious.
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While so many of my journalist peers covering the Musk beat are being banned on Twitter literally right now, I would like to also note that his subordinates in China went the legal route when faced with actual evidence-backed reports and criticism.
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News report by iFeng tech on defamation lawsuit brought by Tesla China against PingWest, a well-respected technology news website in China.
Plaintiff asked for a sealed trial, which the court granted. The court also ordered both parties to not publicize the content of the trial. twitter.com/lichtspektrum/…
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censorship is appalling.
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