Author Archives

Retired lawyer studying the Chinese language and history of the mid-20th century

  • Zhao Hong’s book ‘Exploring Language Culture’

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    When I last visited Beijing I purchased a copy of a recent book by Zhao Hong (赵宏）at the Wangfujing bookshop: “Exploring Language Culture/语言文化探索”.  Zhao Hong is an assistant professor in the Foreign Language Institute of the East China University of… Read More ›

  • My Brexit Predictions Updated

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    On 21 March 2017 I published a post entitled ‘My Predictions for the Outcome of the Brexit Negotiations’.  You can read the original post below but my key points were: (i) there will be an agreement involving a three to… Read More ›

  • A Walk in Regent’s Park

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    Regent’s Park in London is an excellent spot for a walk in all seasons.  There is always a relaxing atmosphere plus new things to see.  I took the photos below during a walk yesterday, 12th May. Border flowers A goose… Read More ›

  • 中国人民革命军事博物馆的亮点

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    去年十二月我在北京旅行的时候去了中国人民革命军事博物馆（下面简称‘军博’）。军博位于北京西部复兴路，离故宫五公里左右。 我在军博里参观了第一层和负一层两个展区。这里的陈列内容包括很多类型的兵器装备像飞机，大炮，舰船，导弹和坦克。还有美国和日本造的飞机，大炮和坦克。下面有五张由我拍摄的照片。 军博的氛围不是充满火药味的，而是平静和庄重。我在军博的时候是唯一的‘老外’，不过其他的参观者和军博工做人员都很友好。 军博的网站很有用（m.jb.mil.cn）。网站的内容包括军博简介，基本阵列，主题展览，研究成果，艺术创作等30个栏目。还有7个基本陈列网上展馆：古代战争馆，近代战争馆，土地革命战争馆，抗日战争馆，全面解放战争馆，新中国国防和军队建设成就馆和军事艺术馆。 ‘功勋喷气式歼击机’ – 这架飞机是王海（中国人民志愿军空军的战斗英雄）驾驶过的苏联造的米格飞机。据展品的注释，王海的飞行大队击落击伤敌机29架。王海本人驾机击落击伤敌机9架。王海被志愿军总部授予‘志愿军一级战斗英雄’称号。据百度百科，王海现在还活着，今年九十二岁了。 ‘英雄的215号坦克’ – 这辆坦克是苏联造T-34/85中型坦克。据展品的注释，这辆坦克在抗美援朝战争中，共击毁敌人重型坦克5辆，化学迫击炮9门和汽车一辆。这辆坦克也完成了7次配合步兵作战任务。为此，中国人民志愿军领导机关授予全体成员集体特等功。 ‘美国造U-2高空侦察机残骸‘ – 美国高空侦察机是20世纪50年代美国洛克希德公司研制的高空战略侦察机。1962年9月9日中国空军地空导弹部队首次击落一架U-2高空侦察机。至1967年9月，空军地空导弹部队共击落5架U-2侦察机。这架飞机残骸是由四架飞机残骸拼成的。 ‘美国造M4A3谢尔曼中型坦克’ – 1950年12月抗美援朝战斗时期第二次战役中这辆美国坦克是于朝鲜介川地区缴获美军的。 ‘中国造轰-6轰炸机’ – 这架飞机是中国仿制苏联图-16双发高亚音速中程轰炸机的战斗飞机。

  • We Are All Marxists Now

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    I have recently finished working through a Chinese textbook on linguistics (used in Chinese universities’ ‘Linguistics 101’ courses).  I found nothing particularly ideological about the textbook.  It did contain references to Russian linguists (along with western experts like Saussure and… Read More ›

  • An Evening at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing

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    During my visit to China this past summer I attended a concert of the Chinese Military Police Men’s Chorus ( (中国武警男声合唱团）at the National Centre for the Performing Arts （国家大剧院）in Beijing.  I decided to attend this particular concert partly because I… Read More ›

  • A Visit to the Geological Museum of China in Beijing

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    During my visit to Beijing in June 2017, I visited the Geological Museum of China in the west central part of the city, near Xisi subway station.  This museum opened in 1959 and is showing its age, but it does… Read More ›

  • A Visit to Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum in Nanjing

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    During a recent visit to Nanjing, I visited Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum.  Sun Yat-sen was the first President of the Republic of China following the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911.  He later founded the Nationalist Party of China (Kuomintang)…. Read More ›

  • Chinese Has at Least One Advantage over English

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    I have spent around 2,700 hours over the past three years studying Chinese, about the time it would have taken to complete an undergraduate degree.  I am still far from fluent in speaking Chinese, but I can read it reasonably… Read More ›

  • The Chinese Love of Calligraphy

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    On each of my visits to China over the past year and a half I have been struck by the number and quality of calligraphy displays one finds in museums and galleries there.  Almost every museum contains at least a… Read More ›

  • Whither Brexit?

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    In my last post on this site I set out my predictions for the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.  When I wrote that post in March, Theresa May was on the verge of submitting the Article 50 notice to the… Read More ›

  • My Predictions for the Outcome of the Brexit Negotiations

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    Theresa May has announced that she will serve the Article 50 notice on 29th March. This means that the UK will leave the EU two years later, in March 2019. As a strong Remain supporter, I continue to hope that… Read More ›

  • A Visit to the ‘Presidential Palace’ in Nanjing

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    While in Nanjing last November (2016), I visited the ‘Presidential Palace’, located on Zhongshan Avenue in central Nanjing.  The Presidential Palace is a museum comprising numerous buildings, pavilions and well landscaped gardens.  It is located on the site of a… Read More ›

  • A Saturday Morning Walk in Beijing

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    During my last visit to Beijing, in November/December 2016, I set off one Saturday morning from my hotel at Chongwenmen (about one mile southeast of the Forbidden City) to visit the Lu Xun Museum in west central Beijing.  Though not… Read More ›

  • Whither Brexit?

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    I was of course very disappointed by the outcome of the EU Referendum last June. However, I was not at all surprised.  I opposed David Cameron’s decision to call a Referendum in the first place, as I knew it would… Read More ›