Monthly Archives: October 2013

Airpocalypse II, and what China’s doing about it

Posted on October 29, 2013 by toakes

The horrific smog that recently engulfed NE China got a lot of people’s attention.  Reports of school closures, airport shutdowns, city buses getting lost on their routes, PM 2.5 concentrations 40 times the WHO safety standard, and air quality index … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment | Leave a comment

Mimesis Part IV – the Shanzhai Taj

Posted on October 18, 2013 by toakes

I recently discovered that a shanzhai Taj Mahal has been built in the city of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.  As reported in the Daily Chinese Herald (澳洲日报), “The wonders of the mainland never cease!”  It turns out the shanzhai Taj is … Continue reading →

Posted in Imaginative Geographies | Leave a comment

Just another roadside attraction

Posted on October 9, 2013 by toakes

When the film Braveheart came out, tourists flocked to Scotland to see the land and heritage of William Wallace (even though it was filmed in Ireland).  After Downton Abbey  became popular, tourists went looking for the ‘real’ Downton Abbey in … Continue reading →

Posted in Imaginative Geographies, Rural China, Tourism | Leave a comment

Mimesis Part III: Rebuilding the Crystal Palace

Posted on October 7, 2013 by toakes

We recently learned of ZhongRong Group Chairman Ni Zhaoxing’s plans to invest 500 million pounds (US$ 811 million) to rebuild the 1851 Crystal Palace in Sydenham, England.  China’s mimetic and shanzhai landscapes has been an ongoing theme of this blog, … Continue reading →

Posted in Imaginative Geographies | Leave a comment