From the Chinese Press

'Locusts' comment unfair

A comment on Beijing subway's official micro blog has caused an uproar as it called some passengers "locusts", a word used to describe people who behave in an uncivilized manner, and said they weren't welcome in the Beijing. However, the city's messy and disorderly subway system is caused by poor management, says an article in gmw.cn. Excerpts:

The comment on the official micro blog of the Beijing subway was unfriendly, and since the capital city is working on promoting the friendliness of its residents, such a view is against the city's spirit. Moreover, the subway department can not represent Beijing when judging peoples' actions. In fact, it should welcome all visitors to Beijing.

The flaws in subway services and the management are a bigger problem than the rubbish left on trains by passengers. The management of the Beijing subway usually blame the huge passenger flow for the flaws in its service, but the unscientific and passenger routes seem designed to aggravate the congestion in stations rather than facilitating the movement of passengers in and out. Some citizens have criticized the operations of some metro lines, such as Line 10, where there are frequent delays to the trains, and the information in the stations often shows the wrong running schedule.

The messy carriage shown in the photo accompanying the comment is on a Line 10 train, and you can see most of the rubbish is discarded flyers, which are not brought on the trains by passengers, but by the representatives of all sorts of companies. The photo reveals the poor management of the subway, rather than the uncivilized behavior of passengers.

As one of the public services provided by the government, those responsible for operating the Beijing subway should reflect on their own poor service, rather than blame their clients for the disorder.

Cuisine integral to culture

It was reported that the South Korea's kimchi was to be officially declared part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity at the end of the year. Although UNESCO has since said the reports aren't true, it's a good time to reflect on the eight major components that enrich Chinese cuisine, says an article in People's Daily. Excerpts:

Japanese cuisine and the Chinese abacus have also been proposed for inclusion on UNESCO's list. And many people believe that if the kimchi and Japanese food can compete for the intangible cultural heritage, Chinese cuisines should try, too.

In fact, applying for recognition as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity is not a competition for cooking ingredients, but the culture in which it evolved. Perhaps Japanese and Korean food can not compete with Chinese food in terms of the variety of ingredients, flavors and cooking skills, but they are core parts of their cultures.

In South Korea, people believe the preparation process for kimchi ahead of winter shows the "sharing spirit" between neighbors and strengthens peoples' sense of belonging as a community. While the Japanese believe their cuisine reflects a society that "respects nature" and it promotes the connections within families and society.

When the "gastronomic meal of the French" was included on the list it was the result of a long campaign by a group of leading chefs, who even invited film star, Gerard Depardieu, to be a representative. In Japan, Kyoto University which has produced many Nobel Prize winners is considering starting a major in Japanese cuisine.

China should express more of its traditional cultural elements to the world as part of its soft power. Cuisines differ in flavors, as they are inherent to the culture in which they evolve. It is important to show the culture of Chinese food to the world.

(China Daily 11/14/2013 page9)