On 18 February a new year – the Year of the Pig. Well, not so sure. According to the Wall Street Journal, China Central Television has banned all images and spoken references to pigs to avoid offending Muslims. Advertisers, like Nestle and Coca-Cola, have been forced to make last-minute changes to campaigns designed with pig motifs. Pig-themed ads were made to welcome the new lunar year, the Year of the Pig. “China is a multi-ethnic country. To show respect to Islam, and upon guidance from higher levels of the government, CCTV will keep any ‘pig’ images off the TV screen,” the network announced. Pigs are popular animals in China and are seen as symbols of prosperity. China’s 20 million Muslims make up less than 2% of the country’s population.
So far for the WSJ. I call it a “disrespect for the thousands years of Chinese culture and giving in to foreign pressure”. Starbucks in the Forbidden City is an offense to some Chinese? So, why this? Maybe they are afraid of terrorist attacks? Hey, PIGS IN DANGER! I wonder what is next. As far as I know The Year of the Rat is not yet in danger, the next one is in 2008 and by sheer coincidence that’s the year of the Beijing Olympics. Let’s hope there is not some sect around that feels offended by rats (too bad then coz I am a RAT).
As for now, my house is decorated with (red) pigs. No offense.
Talking about pigs, some are being pampered with music, massage and who knows what more (Maotai? Why not, they do it in Japan with beef). Did not meet any in my sauna. Who knows, one of these days… All thanks to Qianxihe Food Co., one of the Olympic Exclusive Suppliers. They will provide pork meat with the Olympic Rings. All according to good old China Daily.
Now wait a moment. That should not have happened. How can they allow a pork meat sponsor for the Olympics? That’s a real offense to this 2% minority. Don’t be surprised if that minority boycotts the Games. Worse, we have not less that three Olympic Sponsors for beer and one in wine. The 2008 Olympics for sure don’t look HALAL. Looks like BOCOG and CCTV have different minority considerations.
The Olympics will have 5-ring pork meat, lots of beer and wine but Olympic officials will not be able to enjoy much of it.
Beijing has warned government officials not to shame the country during the Olympics through immoral lifestyle. “They should not be dissipated (*) by wine and women and should not visit entertainment venues after work”. All according to the president of BOCOG.

where the officials should not go: the Gongti Strip at night

Interesting. I just wonder:
– women and booze are OK but not during the Games?
– entertainment venues during the night are not OK, what about during work hours? See, one needs to do hygiene inspection, or not?
Now you know why I don’t want to have an official position here with the Olympics. That would be real hardship. I’ll be able to enjoy. Of course unless they close down all entertainment venues during the Games. No more temptation, no more hygiene controls needed and no risk of shame for the country. Joke apart, some hardcore expats are worried that this is exactly what could happen. Piece of advice: do all your decadent stuff in time before they close the Gongti Strip and similar.
(*): my English being rudimentary I had to check this out (Encarta® World English Dictionary © 1999 Microsoft Corporation):
dis·si·pat·ed adj
1. overindulging in the pursuit of pleasure by physical methods
2. lost through squandering, as money sometimes is

Shanghai is preparing too – for 2010.
The city is mulling over a law against swearing in public, to be included in a law targeting spitting, littering, public smoking, jaywalking and other behavior deemed disruptive and antisocial.
No need here in Beijing. Citizens are civilized, not like the Shanghai barbarians. Swearing? Spitting? Here? As the government has distributed 1.5 million copies of a book to educate its citizens, all is well. The books promptly disappeared, nobody has seen it as they have all been recycled (no littering here).
So good to be in Beijing.

There we go. “I told you so” – as predicted in my seminars… Beijing Today announced another set of “plans” for 2008.
Beijing will clean up the nightlife ahead of the 2008 Olympics to stamp out drugs, prostitution and under-age drinking. No need to explain – all pretty common over here. They will give rating A, B or C according to the results of inspection – closures and fines are on the map. Once again, as from 1 August newly arrived customers after 2 am will not be served. (really?)
I wish them luck. Anyway, taking the drugs off the street would be a good thing – the drug trade is so open in Sanlitun that I don’t understand why nothing is being done.
I just wonder how that process is going to be (if you understand what I mean…). And – in the local slang – will you still be able to “go to church” after 2 am? (Only the insiders here understand that code…).
My real fear is rather that Beijing will sanitize the whole city. We could end up with a sterile entertainment world, not to say a whole sterilized city, banning “outside people”, cars (except the “special” number plates), closing offices, closing entertainment venues, prohibiting drying clothes outside, etc. There is a thin line between a “safe and clean environment” and letting visitors enjoy their stay.
The jury is out.