#Made in Taiwan (Malaysia)

[madeinchinataiwanhk-blbambeyond]

MAN CRUSH FANDOM • MADE IN TAIWAN

•CHANG SHUO HANG

[Nickname/aka: SEAN CHANG also LEO ZHANG]

•LINUS WANG

[ranilla-bean]

culture tips for writing asian settings: tea varieTEAs

atla's got major Tea Guy representation in iroh but let's be real, even non-tea guys are going to be drinking tea in an asian-inspired setting—you'd be served it instead of water most places. so, what kind of tea are you picking for them?

as an east asian reader, it can take me out of the setting to see the characters drink something like chamomile (from europe/west asia) or... most herbal teas, to be honest. ngl it was weird to see iroh in the show, characterised as a huuuuuuge tea snob, drink stuff like jasmine (it's fine it's just basic, is all! imo!) or like.... a random flower he encounters in the wild.

when we're talking tea, real asian tea, we're talking about the leaf of the camellia sinensis plant. the huge variety we have of tea is actually from the different ways of processing that exact same leaf. popular varieties include:

green: the leaf goes through minimal processing, can have a bright and even leafy/grassy flavour (examples: gunpowder, longjing aka dragon well, matcha, genmaicha)

white: also undergoes minimal processing, with a lighter flavour than even green (examples: silver needle, shou mei)

oolong: the leaf is semi-oxidised, curled, and twisted—can be characterised by a tanniny flavour with a bright aftertaste. my personal favourite! (examples: da hong pao, tieguanyin, dong ding, alishan)

dark (black): note this isn't the same as black tea as we think of it in english. the leaf is fermented to produce an earthy tea with a flavour like petrichor (examples: pu'er)

all the teas listed in the "examples" are fairly credible teas that i think a real tea snob like iroh would drink.

ok, but what about...

"black tea" as we know it in the west—assam and ceylon etc? this variety is actually called "red tea" in chinese. we don't drink it with milk but to be honest, i've just... never really heard of anyone drinking chinese red tea? which is why i've kept it off the list. (there's lapsang souchong, but i associate that with bri'ish people...) anyone who does drink it, let me know! on the other hand something like assam/ceylon, while extremely delicious and also asian, is a product of british colonialism and is consumed with milk. i think if you wanted to massage some of the traditions & have chai-drinking indian-influenced characters, though, that's cool!

do you actually not drink herbal tea? we do... but a lot of it is considered medicinal. we've got stuff like herbal "cooling tea" with ingredients like sour plum, mesona, or crysanthemum; tea that warms you up like ginseng or ginger. the whole concept of hot/cold in chinese medicine though... that deserves another culture post

camellia leaf murdered my family & i have a grudge against it; what else can my blorbos drink? there'a some good, tasty stuff made of wheat, barley, buckwheat, even soybean. wouldn't be egregious for the characters to drink that!

is milk sacriligeous? a real tea snob would think so, but a lot of asians nowadays are chill about milk in tea—usually in western-influenced red tea. hong kong, thailand, india, taiwan, and malaysia (among others) have their own cultures of milk tea, which has even become a democratic rallying point.

what do you think of iroh inventing bubble tea? my main issue with it is it's anachronistic! it was invented in taiwan in the late 20th century, but atla's set in the equivalent of the mid-19th century... you could also make arguments about whether iroh's too snobby about tea to invent it LOL

there's soooo much more i can say about all this so: keep your eyes peeled! i'll talk about medicine & tea ceremony in the near future <3

disclaimer | more tips

[hwsasiaweek]

HWS Asia Week will be hosted from July 8th-17th of 2024!!

Three prompts per day:

1) nations from Asia

2) a general theme

3) a quote

You can choose which prompt or prompts you want to create content for; you can stick with one country (canon or OC) throughout the whole week or switch between multiple; it's all up to you!

Any form of content is accepted, including but not limited to: fanfiction, fanart, AUs,headcanons, aesthetics, etc.

Prompts:

Day 1 (Jul 8): Mongolia || Culture/Traditions || "Look how we bleed from all this wanting"

Day 2 (Jul 9): Taiwan, Indonesia, Uzbekistan|| Food || "A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor"

Day 3 (Jul 10): India + China || History || "Come, Dance with me"

Day 4 (Jul 11): South Korea, Laos, Bahrain || Fantasy || "I ache in a language so old that even the earth no longer remembers"

Day 5 (Jul 12): Persia/Iran || Folklore/Legends/Myths || "Having the same enemy does not make us friends"

Day 6 (Jul 13): Hong Kong || Daily Life || "No one wearing a crown comes in the name of peace"

Day 7 (Jul 14): Malaysia + Indonesia || Flowers/Garden || “War is sweet to those who have never fought”

Day 8 (Jul 15): Macau, Philippines, Japan || Story/Storytelling || "The relief of giving into destruction"

Day 9 (Jul 16): Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Singapore|| Tea/Coffee || "I promise spring is coming / and with it, brand new leaves"

Day 10 (Jul 17): Free Day

Rules:

Rule Post

Follow this account

No NS//FW

Tag your content with #hwsasiaweek2024 and @ this account please!

Ships and content with other non-Asian nations are allowed, but please try to give equal weight to the Asian character in the ship,since this is an event celebrating the Hetalia Asians.

Gore/blood/dark topics allowed; they will be tagged with #tw _

Don't be a clown and make racist content

Use common sense and nuance when touching upon sensitive political subjects.

FAQ

Have Fun!

@hetaliahappenings @heta-on-the-books @hetaliacalendar

[chinesehanfu]

[Hanfu · 漢服]Chinese Early Qing Dynasty Traditional Clothing & Qingming Festival/清明節

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Han ethnic Women's attire & Hairstyle ”Peony Head (牡丹头) in the Early Qing Dynasty

Han ethnic Women's attire and hairstyle in the early Qing Dynasty was not like men that force to change by the Qing government. Women's attire and hairstyle were not particularly different from late Ming Dynasty.

————————  

【Qingming Festival/清明節】

The Qingming festival or Ching Ming Festival,also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day in English (sometimes also called Chinese Memorial Day, Ancestors' Day, the Clear Brightness Festival, or the Pure Brightness Festival), is a traditional Chinese festival observed by ethnic Chinese in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

During Qingming, Chinese families visit the tombs of their ancestors to clean the gravesites and make ritual offerings to their ancestors. Offerings would typically include traditional food dishes and the burning of joss sticks and joss paper.The holiday recognizes the traditional reverence of one's ancestors in Chinese culture.

The origins of the Qingming Festival go back more than 2500 years, although the observance has changed significantly. It became a public holiday in mainland China in 2008, where it is associated with the consumption of qingtuan,green dumplings made of glutinous rice and Chinese mugwort or barley grass.

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【Qingming Festival Customs: 插柳/戴柳 put willow/wearing willow 】

“清明不插柳，红颜变皓首”：

As the saying goes, it means in Qingming Festival, in the first ten days of March of the lunisolar calendar every year, is the day when traditional customs go to graves to worship ancestors. According to the old custom, when returning from worshiping ancestors during the Qingming Festival, people have to break off willow branches and wear them on head.It is said that if people don’t do this, young people will become old people with white hair.

According to the "Qing Jialu/清嘉录" written by Gu Lu of the Qing Dynasty：

「清明日，滿街叫賣楊柳，人家買之插於門上，農人以插柳日晴雨佔水旱，若雨，主水。」

every Qingming Festival, "willows are sold all over the street, and people buy them and put them on the door.

Q:why wearing willow or put willow on the door?

Jia Sixie(贾思勰)of the Northern Wei Dynasty(386－535) said in "Qi Min Yao Shu/齐民要术":  “取柳枝著户上，百鬼不入家。”

“Take the willow and put it on the door/house, and a hundred ghosts will not enter the house”

It is said that a hundred spirits come out on Qingming Festival, and people need to worship their ancestors while carefully keep a certain distance from other spirits and keep them out of house. Willow has become a weapon for people to avoid evil spirits and protect people from them.

The custom is still widespread in parts of China especially Wudi(吴地) area： area in the south of the Yangtze River

----

In ancient times, there were many interesting Qingming Festival customs. Apart from visit the tombs of their ancestors to clean the gravesites and make ritual offerings to their ancestors, there were also a series of custom sports activities such as spring outing, swinging, Cuju (蹴鞠：is an ancient Chinese ball game）  , playing polo etc.

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🧚🏻‍Recreation Work：@吃货娃娃

🔗Weibo：https://weibo.com/1868003212/MAyid6Mtv

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[istopaskingmemate]

just a quick guide on the importance of lmk characters to Chinses methoylogy so people know

disclaimer I'm not Chinese nor was I raised in the culture I'm just doing research so more people know.

Zhu Bajie: is an actively worshiped god (not a Buddha). is the patron deity of masseuses, hostesses, and prostitutes within Taiwan and other parts of East Asia.

Sun Wukong: is an actively worshiped trickster god and Buddha. though Buddhist monks don't generally worship him, the people of southern China, Taiwan, and areas of Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Singapore, and even Thailand and Vietnam. there is even a temple dedicated to him in America. along with the trickster aspects he is also a god of nature, god protector, patron deity of athletes (in Singapore at least), and protector of children. he is also considered a Dharmapala (guardian deity of the dharmic path dharmic path). a large part of his worship is with Spirit-mediums who "are believed to channel his spirit to interact with believers, generally answering their questions, blessing them or their belongings with paper talismans, or prescribing medicine". link to helpful if you want to learn more

Tripitaka: is actively worshipped god protector and achieved Buddhahood in the jttw. the real-life monk that he is based on is also worshiped as a god of success. though neither the character nor the real-life monk is worshiped as a Buddha in modern times.

Sha Wujing: is an arhat(a saint of one of the highest ranks.). he has links to a minor Buddhist protector deity in Japan but apart from that I can find no resources to say he is actively worshiped. please still be respectful though

Ao lie: at the end of the jttw ao lie is made a nāga are mythical creatures that are believed to be protectors of Buddhism and often represent water and abundance. not actively worshiped but still sacred.

Note: just because not all of these characters are worshiped doesn't mean they are not sacred. please please be considerate. Also, please keep in mind that all the above characters are Buddhist monks if you want to write a story about them research restrictions for Buddhist monks. this means no meals with meat, no killing (except for wukong), and no sex! you can be a little lenient for Zhu Bajie but for the other if you want to write anything including that stuff it needs to be pre-jttw. This not meant shaming anyone for writing smut or porn but please their characters their deities.

[potteresque-ire]

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋節快樂 🌕🥮🐰

In a promotion for the Autumn Gala today, Dd said for the BGM (background music) for the festival, he thinks of the song 但願人長久. And so, I thought, I should post this song so that it can everyone’s BGM this evening — and look! I found the perfect video for it too 😊.

(Under the cut: a little more about the song...)

While the tune of the song isn’t old — it was first published in 1983 and sung by the Taiwanese singer 鄧麗君 Teresa Teng — the lyrics is based on a poetry written more than a millennia ago, by the famous poet 蘇軾 Su Shi. Su wrote the poem on Mid Autumn of 1076 AD, while he was, by self-admission, very drunk and sorely missing his brother, who he hadn’t seen for seven years. References from ancient texts suggest that the poem was made into popular songs soon after it was written, and has been sung over the centuries until today. The last two lines 但願人長久，千里共嬋娟, in particular, are often quoted as a blessing, a well-wish.

明月幾時有？把酒問青天。不知天上宮闕，今夕是何年？ 我欲乘風歸去，又恐瓊樓玉宇，高處不勝寒。  起舞弄清影，何似在人間？　　 轉朱閣，低綺戶，照無眠。 不應有恨，何事長向別時圓？ 人有悲歡離合，月有陰晴圓缺，此事古難全。 ���願人長久，千里共嬋娟。

The following translation of the lyrics is by the contemporary writer, linguist and translator, 林語堂 Lin Yutang:

How rare the moon, so round and clear! With cup in hand, I ask of the blue sky, "I do not know in the celestial sphere What name this festive night goes by?" I want to fly home, riding the air, But fear the ethereal cold up there, The jade and crystal mansions are so high! Dancing to my shadow, I feel no longer the mortal tie. She rounds the vermilion tower, Stoops to silk-pad doors, Shines on those who sleepless lie. Why does she, bearing us no grudge, Shine upon our parting, reunion deny? But rare is perfect happiness-- The moon does wax, the moon does wane, And so men meet and say goodbye. I only pray our life be long, And our souls together heavenward fly!

The song in Dd’s video above was sung by Teresa Teng — who, despite being Taiwanese, was very popular in Mainland China during the 1980s and 1990s. Loved for her gentle, sweet voice, one could say she was the first pop superstar in Post-Revolution China. How popular was she? At the time, there was a saying that went: 白天聽老鄧，晚間聽小鄧 Listen to Old Deng at Daytime, Listen to Little Deng at Nighttime. “Old Deng” referred to Deng Xiaoping, the supreme leader of the country at the time, while Little Deng was Teresa, who shared a surname with the leader — the difference in English spelling was due to the different romanization systems used in China and Taiwan. 

Oh, by the way, Teng was ... not exactly censored, but not exactly loved by the Chinese government, either.

She was a target of heavy criticisms by the state until 1985. Her love songs  failed to adhere to ... core socialist values, and so it said, and Teng herself was politically incorrect by being loyal to the Taiwanese government. But the people in China couldn’t help themselves — they listened to these “yellow”, ie, pornographic songs in secret at first, and then, they bought cassette tapes of the songs elsewhere in the Sinosphere (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia etc), and exchanged the tapes among themselves. They even tuned in the radios of the elsewheres to listen to Teng’s voice ...

Teresa, singing another favourite song about the moon — 月亮代表我的心 The moon represents my heart. While she wasn’t the original singer of the song, her cover in 1977 made the song famous. This song is now a classic love song: Leslie Cheung famously sang it to make public his relationship with Daffy Tong in 1997, making him the first Chinese superstar to come out.

Tang passed away in 1995 from an asthma attack; that was the only time CCTV (the State TV Station) devoted air time for her — even though she had been so dear to so many in the country. However, since 1985, the Chinese government hadn’t put in any more effort to bar the distribution of her works. It also hadn’t put a lid on the people’s continued adoration for her. Record companies could sell her music; her songs circulated and remain sung and played today. People still look for and talk about the next Teresa Teng’s. Shows make holograms of Teresa singing with contemporary singers — their audience miss her that much.

(Here is a video of 周深 Zhou Shen singing with hologram Teresa, from NYE 2021-2022). 

Anyway, I’ve digressed again, haven’t I? With Dd being so young, Teresa is a bit ahead of his time. For the BGM of Mid-Autumn Festival and the song 但願人長久, he‘s more likely, I’d imagine, to be thinking about the cover by 王菲 Faye Wong, which was still published ahead of his birth, in 1995. I shall end this post with Faye singing the song here, as her rendition is equally beautiful and some say, better captures the lonely sadness of Su Shi’s original poem than Teng’s original:

I wish there’s no lonely sadness tonight though. 花好月圓 Flowers Bloom and the Moon is Round — that’s Gg’s wish for everyone today. Round implies full, complete; and when loved ones who are usually scattered manage to meet and spend time with each other, it’s called 團圓, literally meaning, roughly, gathered together in a circle. There’s a related well-wish to 花好月圓, 人月兩圓, which means the people (人) and the moon (月) are both (兩) round (圓), full, complete, together. I wish the same for everyone on this Mid-Autumn Festival too. 

❤️.💛.💚.

[fymoonbyul]

[INTERVIEW] MAMAMOO Talks Excitement for Their First American Tour and Meeting Their U.S. Moomoo

MAMAMOO are some of the fastest-growing stars in K-pop, and in less than a week, the sensations are set to make their American debut on the U.S. leg of their first-ever World Tour, "MY CON."

The quartet recently returned from a sold-out Asia World Tour across Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, but the magic is only getting started. The nine-date U.S. tour kicks off on May 16 in New York City before wrapping up on the other side of the country in Los Angeles on June 4, and it seems the four are just as excited to come to the States and meet their U.S. Moomoo fandom as we are to see them. Ahead of the tour, we got the chance to chat with the icons about the tour and what it means to them to be coming to America. Read the full interview below.

Sweety High: What does the name "MY CON" mean to the group? Why did that feel like the perfect name for this tour?

MAMAMOO: "MY CON" is where Mamamoo and Moomoo become one, so it truly means it's everyone's concert. It allows us to cherish the precious moments when we get together with our dear Moomoo.

SH: How excited are you to tour in the U.S. for the very first time?

SOLAR: I'm very anxious but also excited. I recently heard that our pre-sale tickets were sold out. It made me feel apologetic to all the Moomoo who have waited for so long, and it also got me determined to put my all into this tour. I'm also curious about what the U.S. Moomoo will be like, how they will react and how they will enjoy our stage. I'm honestly looking forward to everything.

HWA SA: I'm so nervous wondering what the U.S. Moomoo will be like. In general, just thinking about the tour gives me butterflies.

SH: Are there any songs that you're most looking forward to performing for your American audience?

MOON BYUL: Honestly, I would love to show every stage possible. We haven't performed much for U.S. Moomoo so far, so we'd love to show them everything we have.

WHEE IN: I would love to show as much as we can. But if I had to choose, I would like to perform our title songs since they're fun songs we can all dance to.

SH: Is there a specific type of energy you're anticipating from American MooMoos that might be different from your fans elsewhere?

SOLAR: I'm really looking forward to how fun it'll be, bonding with U.S. Moomoo through our performances.

SH: Is there one American city you're most excited to visit? Is there anything big outside of your performances that you plan to do while you're in the U.S.?

WHEE IN: It's so difficult to choose, and truly, every city is a place I've been longing to visit. Besides performing, I'd love to enjoy the scenery and take some nice, quiet walks around the neighborhood!

HWA SA: I'm looking forward to L.A., and I'm curious about Las Vegas as well. But honestly, I would love to visit any city.

SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

SOLAR: Thank you for waiting! Hey Moomoo legggggggo❤

MOON BYUL: As we're finally keeping our promise—that we'll go wherever our Moomoo are—we are so happy and excited to go on this tour! Let's make lots of wonderful memories!

WHEE IN: It's been a long time since our last visit to the States. Thank you so much for waiting and for your sustained anticipation.

HWA SA: Since this is our first tour in the States, we were all very nervous and even slightly worried about Moomoo turnout. But now, we're just purely excited, and we'll be there super soon!

Check out the full "MY CON" tour schedule below:

May 16 – New York, New York

May 18 – Baltimore, Maryland

May 20 – Atlanta, Georgia

May 22 – Nashville, Tennessee

May 24 – Fort Worth, Texas

May 27 – Chicago, Illinois

May 31 – Glendale, Arizona

June 2 – Oakland, California

June 4 – Los Angeles, California

[alvinng119]

Unforgettable memories.

Taiwan — a beautiful city, full of kind souls, full of love. I have given out my very first time experience to take plane trips alone to there. I never realised how brave I am until it happened. Why? It is because…

Short story here. Fast forward to two years ago, she was planning to study abroad in China. I was like, oh ok, that’s good since she has already made decisions to continue with her study life. So then, apparently after graduating from high school she decided to go. I feels nothing at first but until the day she went to airport, waving goodbye to me, to hers family members, her friends, only I realised this is really a heavy decision. I have tears in my eyes.

Therefore, an unforgettable experience will be needed after this short story. I booked and planned everything by my own just to surprise my girl, even until now I can still remember how nervous and how excited I am last time. We total spent 9days in Taiwan 🇹🇼. Both of us love this place. So much satisfied with the people there, the Taiwanese attitudes, city view, cultures, foods there are all amazing. But Malaysia 🇲🇾 foods are always my NO.1. At last, she go back to China, and I back to Malaysia. We both cried, but at least I have tried my best to treat her well in those days, foods, beautiful scenery just to warm her.

Ok. Simple blog. Will see u guys on the next blogpost. 👋🏻

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

November 16, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

NOV 17, 2023

The summit of the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies continued today in San Francisco, California. 

Formed in 1989, APEC is made up of the economies of 21 nations around the Pacific Rim: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Chile, Peru, Russia, Vietnam, and the United States. Together, these economies make up about 62% of global gross domestic product and almost half of global trade.

David Sanger of the New York Times today noted an apparent shift in the power dynamic between President Joe Biden and Chinese president Xi Jinping, who met yesterday for a four-hour conversation. Earlier in his presidency, Xi was riding on a strong economy that overshadowed that of the U.S. and looked as if it would continue to do so. Then, Xi favored what was known as “wolf warrior” diplomacy: the aggressive defense of China’s national interests against what Chinese envoys portrayed as foreign hostility, especially that of the U.S. 

Under that diplomatic regime, Xi emphasized that liberal democracy was too weak to face the twenty-first century. The speed and momentous questions of the new era called for strong leaders, he said. In early February 2022, Russia and China held a summit after which they pledged that the “[f]riendship between the two States has no limits.” 

Things have changed. 

The U.S. has emerged from the coronavirus pandemic with a historically strong economy, while China’s economy is reeling from a real estate bubble and deflation at the same time that government crackdowns have made foreign capital flee. This summer, Xi quietly sidelined Qin Gang, the foreign minister associated with wolf warrior diplomacy, and in October, he replaced Defense Minister General Li Shangfu, who is under U.S. sanctions for overseeing weapon purchases from Russia. 

Indeed, China has also been quietly pushing back from its close embrace of Russia. Just weeks after their February 2022 declaration, Russia invaded Ukraine in an operation that Russian president Vladimir Putin almost certainly expected would be quick and successful, permitting Russia to seize key Ukrainian ports and land. Such a victory would have strengthened both Russia and China at the same time it weakened Europe, the United States, and their allies and partners. 

Instead, Ukraine stood firm, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and allies and partners have stood behind the embattled country. As the war has stretched on, sanctions have cut into the Russian economy and Putin has had to cede power to Xi, accepting the Chinese yuan in exchange for Russian commodities, for example. This week, Alberto Nardelli of Bloomberg reported that the European Union is considering another round of sanctions, including a ban on the export of machine tools and machinery parts that enable Russia to make ammunition. 

In a piece at the Center for European Policy Analysis today, Julia Davis, who monitors Russian media, noted that Russia lost an extraordinary 997,000 people between October 2020 and September 2021, even before the war began. Now it is so desperate to increase its population that its leadership claims to have stolen as many as 700,000 Ukrainian children and is urging women to have as many children as possible.  

Holly Ellyatt of CNBC noted that to the degree they even mentioned it, Russian media sniped at the Biden-Xi summit, but it was hard to miss that although Russian president Putin was not welcome to attend, Xi came and engaged in several high-level meetings, assuring potential investors that China wants to be friends with the U.S. Also hard to miss was Xi’s pointed comment that the China-U.S. relationship “is the most important bilateral relationship in the world.” 

Going into this summit, then, the U.S. had the leverage to get agreements from China to crack down on the precursor chemicals that Chinese producers have been shipping to Latin America to make illegal fentanyl, restore military communications between the two countries now that Li has been replaced, and make promises about addressing climate change. Other large issues of trade and the independence of Taiwan will not be resolved so easily. 

Still, it was a high point for President Biden, whose economic policies and careful investment in diplomatic alliances have helped to shift the power dynamic between the U.S. and two countries that were key geopolitical rivals when he took office. Now, both the U.S. and China appear to be making an effort to move forward on better terms. Indeed, Chinese media has shifted its tone about the U.S. and the APEC summit so quickly readers have expressed surprise. 

Today, Biden emphasized “the unlimited potential of our partnerships…to realize a future that will benefit people not only in the Asia-Pacific region but the whole world,… [a] future where our prosperity is shared and is inclusive, where workers are empowered and their rights are respected, where our economies are sustainable and resilient.” 

Biden and administration officials noted that companies from across the Asia-Pacific world have invested nearly $200 billion in the U.S. since Biden took office, creating tens of thousands of good jobs, while the U.S. has elevated its engagement with the region, holding bilateral talks, creating new initiatives and deepening economic partnerships. 

Today, Biden and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced that the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, an economic forum established last year as a nonbinding replacement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership former president Trump abruptly pulled out of, had agreed on terms to set up an early warning system for disruptions to supply chains, cooperation on clean energy, and fighting corruption and tax evasion.

In a very different event in San Francisco today, a federal jury convicted David DePape, 43, of attempted kidnapping and assault on account of a federal official’s performance of official duties for his attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul with a hammer on October 28 of last year, fracturing his skull. 

DePape’s lawyers did not contest the extensive evidence against him but tried to convince the jury that DePape did not commit a federal crime because he did not attack Pelosi on account of Representative Pelosi’s official position. Instead, they said, DePape had embraced the language of right-wing lawmakers and pundits and believed in a conspiracy theory that pedophile elites had taken over the country and were spreading lies about former president Donald Trump. 

DePape told jurors he had come to conspiracy theories through Gamergate, a 2014–2015 misogynistic online campaign of harassment against women in the video game industry, which turned into attacks on feminism, diversity, and progressive ideas. Trump ally Steve Bannon talked of pulling together the Gamergate participants behind Trump and his politics. 

Also today, a subcommittee of the House Ethics Committee set up to investigate allegations against Representative George Santos (R-NY) issued its report. The Republican-dominated committee found that Santos had lied about his background during his campaign and, furthermore, that he appears to be a serial liar. Those lies also “include numerous misrepresentations to the government and the public about his and his campaign’s financial activities.” 

That is, the committee found, Santos defrauded his campaign donors, falsified his financial records, and used campaign money on beauty products, rent, luxury items from Hermes and Ferragamo, and purchases at the website Only Fans. The subcommittee recommended the Ethics Committee refer Santos to the Department of Justice, and “publicly condemn Representative Santos, whose conduct [is] beneath the dignity of the office” and who has “brought severe discredit upon the House.” 

Santos says he will not run for reelection.

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[thistransient]

Ah, a perfect illustration for me to muse about KL.

- For some reason I expected KL to follow a similar flow; after all, I was also going back after ten years (and thereby redoing a somewhat malcontent experience with the ex). However, I made many tactical errors here. I did not make solid plans, I waffled and faffed about, unable to decide if I was staying here or going there (inevitably, I stayed as it required the least effort), I had no real meaningful social interaction, I stayed in a hotel with no breakfast, I was bereft when faced with description-less menus in down-to-earth local establishments ("what do you recommend?" or "which is your favourite?" to the server is a very dangerous question indeed). I feel somewhat remorseful that I did not commit to a bit, either complete sloth and hipster cafes, or truly dedicated tourist-ing. I also stayed directly on Jalan Petaling, and found in a strange way (okay maybe I'm really stretching for a complaint here) it detracted from the fun of going in search of the place to be if you're staying smack in the middle of it.

- When I went to Seoul I did research. I had plans. Things to see! Places to go! I stayed at a guesthouse and had some friendly interaction with the host, and daily provided breakfast. Most places I ate at had picture menus for wayward foreigners, or at least I was familiar enough with Korean food and Hangul to figure things out. It was suitable weather for rambling around. I was having a bittersweet life transition ending Chinese class, and revisiting Korea after ten years!

It was also not the weather for extended trotting about outside (I did eventually partake in the time-honoured tropical tradition of walking around the giant multi-storey AC'd mall though).

- This is not to say I didn't enjoy the hipster cafes and art spaces (once I actually got out of bed). Or staying in a hotel room bigger than my own apartment, with nice bedding (even if I never figured out how to turn on the hot water in the shower). But in hindsight it feels kind of a coagulated blur. When I was there, it was an elastic eternity, and now that I'm back, almost as if I never left. Perhaps I simply wasn't in the right frame of mind, or perhaps I was just somewhat brainwashed by the blaring music from the bars across the street until 3 or 4 AM my first few nights there.

- I will say though, I had a very heartening experience being gendered unequivocally correctly around 99% of the time. One thing about Chinese is that with no spoken gendered pronouns and a formal "you", it is very hard to tell how people are perceiving me in Taiwan until they are trying to redirect me to a different bathroom, which is really not the optimal situation in which to find this out. Malaysia is very into the sir/ma'am honorifics. I suspect there is also some effect had by a more conservative, illegal-homosexuality sort of culture where clothes and styling are great determiners of which box one gets sorted into, vs Taipei where it's fair game to assume that maybe you look like that cause you're just really, really gay?

- The metro escalators in KL go much faster than I'm used to an escalator going (I'm not complaining). The metro in KL is also disjointed and confusing and the ticket machines are uncooperative for wrangling.

- I don't want to judge a group of people on a whole based on their hospitality personas, so I'll just say at the least, Malay Malaysians working in customer service are very charming and friendly.

- I really intended to eat a ton of fruit and then I just...didn't, maybe because I am used to buying fruit whole in multi-kilo volumes and eating it at home, but the hotel was not conducive to that at all (no mini fridge, no knives).

- Every time I go to Singapore/Indonesia/Malaysia I come away wanting to learn Malay/Indonesian because it is just so delightful to look at the stack of languages in one piece of signage and have no real idea which word matches up to which in English. (Well, that's not entirely correct, I can recognise some basic things à la "saya suka makan pisang" after those two weeks couchsurfing in Sumatera some years ago. But then, I'm always torn because if I want to learn an Austronesian language I should really just go for Filipino so I can actually understand half my tumblr dash- I cracked open a teach-yourself sort of book at a hostel in Cebu once and my brain simply refused to unlatch its death grip on Chinese at the time, but maybe there's room for another grammar system in there now?)

- On the plane back there were (or so it sounded) at least two children who threw a fit and screamed bloody murder at full lung capacity (I am really not exaggerating here, it was impressive) when we experienced turbulence during takeoff and landing, but I had already put in my hotel earplugs, and simply smiled to myself thinking of how I'd learned, through a visit to Teotihuacán one year, that when the Aztecs sacrificed children to the rain god, the more they cried the better the rains were expected to be.

- For the first time ever at Taoyuan Airport the immigration officer examined my passport in minute detail (even some kind of little magnifying glass thing?) and asked how long I was staying, which reminded me a) I forgot to make myself look presentable and b) I claim to live here but I actually have zero guaranteed right to it at the moment (sleep deprived and not having eaten since breakfast, this threatened to send me into an emotional spiral until I reminded myself of those compounding factors and decided to save that thought for after dinner). I said I was leaving on the 19th (because that is the date for which I still have an unused exit flight). The officer seemed pacified and stamped me in for another 90 days. But maybe it is time to finally put some effort into reestablishing my formal alien residency.

- Last but not least, maybe I should have stayed in KL cause apparently Taiwan is having a heatwave and it's gonna be 39C tomorrow, and KL will be a chilly 31 or so.

[madeinchinataiwanhk-blbambeyond]

MAN CRUSH FANDOM • MADE IN TAIWAN

SEAN CHANG

LINUS WANG

[mykindoffairytale]

This year

This year has been an absolute nightmare, from undergoing the trenches that was KKH paeds, absolutely fearful of the coming day, to loving and being proud of myself that I actually made it. Remebered the blurry mornings, the painful history takings, my seniors slogging it out with me, kind seniors and those that hated my guts. I remembered being somewhat happy when things started becoming better, of course I loved the prerounding. Even managed a Sasha Sloan concert midway through. Then it was Taiwan, that was pretty meh but also pretty glorious.

Onto GS, where I was enjoying myself very much the first few months before everything came crumbling down, slowly but surely. Regretful actions were made but I'd generally attribute that to the wrong crowd- GS was definitely full of the absolute wrongest people. Made it to Laufey, made it to indo once again, and finally went to Uk. Saw glasgow who held my heart since I left, but going back I realised I had taken all she had to offer. Every month, mistakes were made, plenty of I wish I didnt say that till the very end. Thankful for everyone that loved me and stood by, and thankful for myself for never giving up on me.

Then very quickly it was NPL, that was spent lazing around, Jakarta, Seoul- which was greatly healing, and Bali- Labuan Bajo. The latter of which carried news Ive always dreamt of in nightmares, waking up in tears, safely forgetting the pain that I have dreamt. However, this time the pain was much to real, till now I try not to think about it, because I wish you had been kinder- especially because I had loved you so. Sadly it was towards the end, when I came home that I realised how bitter you were, and how although you provided, I was never your pride and joy. But by this time I knew how much I had laboured, and how much I had thought of/for you. Giving up quite abit of indulgence from guilt, stressing from the concept of "limited wealth" you had put in my head. No doubt I am ever thankful that you had given me a once in a lifetime experience - that was the best in my life. But at the end of it, my sadness was quickly blunted by self-preservation, I remembered your cutting words, my earnest love, your great providence and the joy of your presence. At the end, I'd call it even- not your lifetime full of contributions and the shortness of mine, but in general the positive influence you had on my life, although I wished you were more and myself slightly "less". I still miss waking you for snacks, thankful for your ever peaceful departure. Thank you for Malaysia and Glasgow.

Oh I forgot about Vietnam, the food great, the company peaceful. My alternative sister from different parents.

Oh I too forgot about Nik, who has been a steady source of comfort on work days, thankful we got to grow together, again its not about counting the gives and the takes, not about giving what you got, but a giving from what God has given to us.

The end of the year in Cardio has been the best so far, Cardio was a soft landing spot into the realm of MO ship, Ive gone to more services, exercise classes and received an exceeding amount of grace despite my underperforming ass. Im reconsidering IM because of her, but also very aware of what stands ahead. Nothing much has changed, the motion remains very much the same, fear-grace-growth, sprinkled with regret here and there.

The proposal this year was too a highlight- true love, girlhood. Definitely felt the love, and for an all too deserving couple <3

These moments of quiet reflection come less frequently, expecially with baseline "anxiety" and lack of spirituality. Thankful that pondering over money has gotten me here.

Looking forward to a better year next year, with more looking to Jesus rather than the ways of this world.

[thefloralhouses]

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[malaysiankpopfans]

Handsome Oppa 2PM’s Lee Junho is finally coming to Malaysia with his first ever solo fan meeting LEE JUNHO 1st FANMEETING <JUNHO THE MOMENT 2023> IN KUALA LUMPUR on 18th November!

Junho, member of the famous second-generation boy group 2PM, will be coming to Malaysia to meet his fans on his solo fan meeting tour. The long-awaited LEE JUNHO 1st FANMEETING <JUNHO THE MOMENT 2023> IN KUALA LUMPUR, organised by iMe MY, will be held at Mega Star Arena, KL on 18th November, 2023 (Saturday). This is also the star’s first solo fan meeting tour since debut!

Lee Junho debuted as a member of 2PM in 2008, is the group’s main vocalist and lead dancer. The group has received attention since their debut song “10 Out of 10” and subsequently received even more fame with the release of the single “Again & Again” in 2009. Lee Junho has participated in writing and composing over 108 songs, which includes “Hands Up” and “Give It To Me”.

The talented Lee JunHo did not just stop there. He challenged himself by acting on the big screen for the first time in 2013 with <Cold Eyes>, where he impressed viewers for his acting. From then, he has been active in the acting industry, and even made another achievement with the hit office-comedy drama <Good Manager>. He was praised for his villainous acting in the drama, which consequently led him to his first lead role in a drama on the same year.

After returning from the military in 2021, Lee Junho stared in the historical romance drama <The Red Sleeve>. The hit drama swept off 8 awards at the 2021 MBC Drama Awards, with him getting the "Top Excellence Award". He was also the first idol-actor to have won the “Best Actor ��� Television at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards". His popularity starts to skyrocket since then and rose even higher with his latest drama <King The Land>, where he co-stared with Yoona, capturing the hearts of many viewers!

Lee Junho’s first solo fan meeting tour will kickstart in Taiwan, and will take him across eight Asian cities including Macau, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok. It is also announced by iMe MY that LEE JUNHO 1st FANMEETING <JUNHO THE MOMENT 2023> IN KUALA LUMPUR will be held at Mega Star Arena, KL on 18th November, 2023 (Saturday). 

Tickets to LEE JUNHO 1st FANMEETING <JUNHO THE MOMENT 2023> IN KUALA LUMPUR are priced at RM888 (VIP), RM788 (PS1) RM688 (PS2), RM488 (PS3) and RM288 (PS4). Prices stated exclude RM4 handling fee.

Fans who have purchased tickets will have the opportunity to receive fan benefits such as photo opportunity with Lee Junho, Send Off, Limited Edition Signed Poster, Lanyard and Laminate, Photo Card and Postcard.

For more details to the fan meeting, please do stay tuned to iMe MY official social media.

[beardedmrbean]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted Friday to reinstate tariffs on solar panel imports from several Southeast Asian countries after President Joe Biden paused them in a bid to boost solar panel installations in the U.S., a key part of his climate agenda.

The 221-202 vote sends the measure to the Senate, where lawmakers from both parties have expressed similar concerns about what many call unfair competition from China. Biden has vowed to veto the measure if it reaches his desk.

The House vote would overturn Biden's action last year pausing threatened tariffs that had led to delays or cancellations of hundreds of solar projects across the United States.

Some U.S. manufacturers contend that China has essentially moved operations to four Southeast Asian countries — Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia — to skirt strict anti-dumping rules that limit imports from China.

A Commerce Department inquiry last year found likely trade violations involving Chinese products. Biden halted the tariffs for two years before the Commerce investigation was completed, saying he was responding to an emergency that threatened the availability of electric power to meet demands from U.S. homes and businesses.

Before Biden acted, the threat of tariffs from the Commerce Department inquiry had led to delays or cancellations of hundreds of solar projects in the U.S. as investors moved to protect themselves against potential penalties as high as $1 billion that could be imposed retroactively.

The U.S. industry argues that imports of solar panels are needed as solar installations ramp up to meet increased demand for renewable energy. Solar power is a key part of Biden’s goal to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035.

Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri, said Friday that restoring the tariffs would hold China accountable while protecting U.S. jobs and workers. Tariffs would protect American manufacturers who are facing unfair competition from China, which is subsidizing its products and selling them at low prices, Smith said.

"These trade abuses are well-known to all of us in this chamber,'' said Smith, chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

“By shipping its products through Cambodia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, (Chinese officials) have set up a scheme that cheats American workers and consumers,'' Smith said. “We know there's wrongdoing going on. We know China is cheating, and that's precisely why members of both parties were stunned and disappointed when the White House made the misguided decision'' to halt the tariffs for two years.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., said the House action would “punish U.S. workers” and the solar industry "and set us back on our climate goals.''

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., said the two-year pause was “not a perfect solution,'' but offered “a short-term bridge" as the U.S. solar industry moves to produce more solar panels at home.

The White House said Biden’s action boosted an industry crucial to his climate change-fighting goals while not interfering with or shutting down the Commerce investigation.

[germinal16]

Kuala Lumpur: Estuary of Cloudy Streams

”The world was so recent that many things lacked names, and in order to indicate them it was necessary to point.”

This may be the most fitting description of what I encountered as trying to order the breakfast in the Little India, Kuala Lumpur. Sitting outside the door, a customer was having a balloon-resembled food, something between bread and pancakes. I wanted to order the same thing but didn’t know how to express it, so I simply pointed to the photo on the menu and ordered what looked the most similar to it.

”We don’t have that anymore,” the waiter spoke with a southern accent, ”because…blah blah blah. Would you like something else?” I could understand nothing more than 70% of what he said, and ended up ordering something else that looked somewhat similar. What came was a round and crispy, deep-fried balloon-like pancake, like a inflated Chinese scallion, served with coconut milk and curry. The curry was mild, scattered with powdery-textured potatoes. the ‘pancake’ tasted pretty good with it. I ordered a glass of Lassi, whose sweetness is so strong, that I canconsider it as a standard accompaniment to Indian cuisine for me.

What was the name of that dish again?

I wandered through Little India looking for a place to buy souvenirs. The supermarket shelves were stocked with coffee, jam, oil products, various canned soups, and incense for prayer. There were several buckets filled with a variety of spices in the center of the supermarkets. The bag of branded coffee and the Kaya jam, which my friend highly-recommended, was eventually found at a department store on the upper level of Central station, or in Malay, Stesen Sentral.

After buying a ruby chocolate, which was said cannot be found in Taiwan, at the chocolate exhibition hall, I called a Grab ride to go to a western-style coffee shop in Chinatown on Jalan Petaling. I ordered a ”Summer Time”, a mix of lychee and watermelon juice, and began to write about my experiences in Kuala Lumpur. It suddenly came to my mind: the Indian dish I had for my breakfast, made of curry, coconut milk, and crispy bread.

We still don’t know the name of the dish we had that day.

The recitation of the Quran resonates during Zuhr.

The streets of Kuala Lumpur have a distinct tropical humidity, yet with a touch of freshness, which perhaps derived from the Muslims’ cleanliness, preventing the unpleasant odor of damp and muddy drains. Kuala Lumpur, Estuary of Cloudy Streams, at the confluence of muddy swirling currents; Muslims established mosques at the convergence of the Gombak River and the Klang River, and later the British built various Mughal-Gothic-styled government buildings in the same area.

As Crows gather along the riverbank and search for twigs to build their nests, a group of hijab-wearing college students happily pose for pictures with the architecture. An afternoon thunderstorm suddenly washes away the restlessness in the hearts of the diverse tourists. They quietly hide themselves under the covered walkways, listening to the recitation of the Quran emanating from the Masjid.

Time seems to been fragmented, yet never ceases to flow.

According to the Malaysian history book, the official version of Malaysia’s founding epic told us Malays came from Sumatra. ”A prince who lost his kingdom take his people to come to this land for rebuilding what they once had,” and they rooted themselves here, never to return to the other side of the straits. In the market, the aroma of coffee were permeating the air, and carried far away by the tropical breeze. A Tamil vendor introduced me to beautiful batik shawls. In my not-so-fluent English, I negotiated the price with him and ended up buying ones I’m pretty sure I would love.

Gentle sunlights spilling onto the shading canvas, notes of diaspora danced, in the fluttering signs of the bazaar, amidst the bustling city traffic, and within the oscillating fans at the train station. Secret-society members drifted here from the Northern Empire, Sri Lankan merchants brought by the monsoon winds, and the eventually settled-down Indonesian royal members, they are all smoothly shaped by the river flow into the time, slowly extending into an unending melody within stories.

The recitation of the Quran resonates during Asr.

In the cafeteria of the old Kuala Lumpur station, Ayam Tandori filled the air with a fragrant aroma. Although the beauty of the old station building couldn’t be captured by a camera, it appeared particularly lovely in the sunset. A photography team was taking pictures of a couple in front of the train station, though I couldn’t quite tell if they were shooting wedding photos or being Cosplayer.

The river, quietly flowed through the city, the Railwat went towards the harbour of Port Klang, and they would never to return. I watched the bustling traffic in front of the station, that forming an ever-turning roundabout, which are so fast, that seems in the next second, they would all dissolve into cream as the way tigers melt away.

Time clearly never ceases to flow, yet it is fragmented in a montage-like manner.

I delved into the crevices of history, let the approaching time drenched my body; Like a camel traversing the endless Silk Road, looking back at the scriptures I once wandered through. Inside the Islamic Arts Museum, I gaze at the coins displayed in glass cabinets, forming a long timeline connecting the end of the Silk Road to another end: the Umayyads, the Abbasids, the Fatimids; the Ayyubids of the Kurds, the Safavids of the Persians, the Mughals of the Mongols… Distant faith and the sound of prayers gradually reach the scattered archipelago of islands.

The guide at Masjid Negara introduces me to the distinctive features of their religious architecture: geometric patterns, designs devoid of images, and Arabic calligraphy that adorns every corner. He mentions that the average Malays do not truly understand Arabic, just like the Chinese, who do not really understand ”Namo Amitābhāya” or ”Om Mani Padme Hum.” However, the devoutness during prayer may overcome the language barrier, allowing the heartfelt yearning for tranquility to be conveyed genuinely to the beloved deity.

The peaceful coolness from the floor of Masjid gently touches my skin through my socks.

The recitation of the Quran resonates during Maghrib.

Perhaps due to its tropical location, even on weekends, one can feel that the nights and days in Kuala Lumpur are like different worlds. The deserted Independence Square during daytime comes to life at night with several food trucks gathering there. People ride bicycles and blow bubbles in front of the old government building, while the shimmering neon lights make the city’s stories vibrant.

At the night market on Petaling Street, the tables and chairs are already packed tightly by the vendors, making it difficult for the traffic to move. The aroma of delicious jerky fills the air, with each bite, I can feel its fresh, sweet, and crispy taste. I picked a few satay skewers, fried snacks, and even buy a serving of Balinese-style char siu rice. Slowly, I move to Bukit Bintang, the Starhill Avenue, where you can see a group street performers sing loudly in front of the subway station. The audience gathers in a circle on the sidewalk, eager to listen to their voices. Coinciding with the floral procession of Vesak Day, the streets are under traffic control, and Buddhist followers from around the world ride float after float, showering blessings upon those around them.

I step into a karaoke bar. It’s sparsely populated. I order a cola and sit at the counter. A staff member accosts me in a simple conversation in English. She tells me she is a Chinese from Myanmar, with a younger brother studying Mandarin in Taiwan, and a sister already married and has children in Taiwan. She proudly shows me photos of her siblings. The bar owner is Hakka, and I casually recite a few phrases in Hakka that I heard in the Subway announcements from Taiwan: ”Sṳ̀n-mùng-ǹg, án-chṳ́-se.” However, she looks puzzled. I ask her how to say ”thank you” in Malaysian Hakka, and she replies with ”唔該,” with the Hakka pronunciation. Haha, we bridge the language barrier and make ourselves understood. I select a song by Sandy Lam and another one by Jay Chou on the jukebox, At Least I’ve Got You, even if I Find It Hard To Say. A Japanese customer orders a beer, and as it pours into the glass, it turns into Bubble, as G.E.M. sings. The bar owner suddenly suggests that we should go together to taste some street food at Jalan Alor after closing. In the stir-fry restaurant, we order five servings of chicken wings, a large plate of fried noodles, and the Malaysians’ favorite ”lala” (clams). I thought it was a phonetic mistake for ”lâ-á” in Hokkien, but as I eat, the clams in front of me seem to play the ”Lala Land.”

I recall the previous night when I sneaked into a bookstore and browsed through interesting English books, searching for fragments of stories that have died but not yet been buried, as if I were a wandering ghost. That’s it. Knowing that stories don’t end like this, that’s it. Knowing that time doesn’t put a full stop on us, that’s it. Knowing that those timelines hidden in the Islamic Museum, the clocks that calculate prayers in the Masjid Negara, and the novels in my backpack are not the end of history. That’s it, I think.

I love Kuala Lumpur’s converging all of the stories, yet it hasn’t written the final chapter.

The recitation of the Quran echoes during Isha.

On the plane, I turned on my e-book reader and continue reading the unfinished book about Malaysian history: Portuguese captured Malacca, the White Rajahs ”inherited” Sarawak, the British and Dutch partitioned the Malay world, and the colonizers attempted to build a better world, like Raffles and Swettenham. The plane takes off towards the north, and outside the window, the weather is clear, with clouds leaping alongside the aircraft.

Once again, I hear the recitation of the Quran, reminding me of Fajr.