Women

Guangdong Woman, with RMB 44 Billion, Named China’s Richest

Posted: 10/22/2014 8:55 am

Two Chinese women standing in front of a Cartier shop

Yang Huiyan, a 33 year-old woman from Shunde, Guangdong, was voted the richest woman in China for the fourth year in a row by Hurun Research Institute, reported Nandu. Hurun valued Yang’s net worth at a whopping RMB 44 billion ($7.2 billion).

A majority shareholder of her father’s real state company, Country Garden Holding, Yang has nabbed the title more than any other woman in the nine years Hurun has published the rich list. Most of the other women on the list come from the property and financial sectors, accounting for 28 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

Guangdong is home to four of the 50 women on the rich list, Hurun said. The list’s threshold is RMB 5 billion, a 36 percent increase over last year, while the median average wealth for all women on the list is RMB 10.9 billion, a 14 percent jump over the previous year.

While the wealth of China’s richest women is no doubt impressive, it’s still disproportionately lower than the wealth of their male counterparts. Hurun’s wealth threshold for men is RMB 20.5 billion and the median average was RMB 45 billion, more than four times that of women.

Shenzhen and Beijing remain the two most friendly cities for female entrepreneurs, each producing nine women on the list, followed closely by Shanghai.

The title of the country’s second richest woman went to Chan Liwa, president of Fu Wah International Group.

Photos: Red Luxury

Tagged: FinanceHurun Rich ListReal EstateShundewealthWomen

University Course Teaches Chinese Women How To Be Virtuous and Elegant

Posted: 09/23/2014 9:08 am

While international relations, law, and medicine remain popular university subjects, some female students in Wuhan in central China are pursuing another path: how to become a desirable lady based on all the old virtues written in China’s ancient poems and lyrical rhymes.

Technically speaking, the students enrolled in the lady training class at Wuhan Embroidery Colleage are undergoing their equivalent of military training, local Chinese newspaper Chutian Jinbao reported on September 22.

But in this case, the students have traded their military uniforms for scissors, needles, and calligraphy brushes as they learn traditional Chinese paper-cutting, embroidery, calligraphy, make-up, body posture, literary classics, proper etiquette and even weaving techniques, according to the school.

For those who suspect this is a just a tea party or home economics class, the school apparently takes it all very seriously and said the students need to score at least 211 points in order to pass.

College dean Li Shizong says the purpose of the training is trying to teach students how to become virtuous and elegant ladies. “While students are pursuing the latest fashion trends, they shouldn’t forget about traditional virtues. A lady with all the traditional virtues can also add up to their impression scores,” the dean said.

The program started in 2009 and is open to all female students in the college, he said. By September this year, more than 200 students had enrolled.

But back in 2009 when the program first made headlines in China, critics were already speculating on what would happen to these girls. According to a saying from the Shi Jing (The Book of Poetry) written around 500 AD, “a fair and graceful lady is a good catch for a gentleman”.

But critics worry the ladies have traded their noble gentlemen for officials and businessmen with large wallets as money and power become the new virtues of today’s society.

* 窈窕淑女，君子好逑 in Chinese

Photos: Chutian Jinbao

Tagged: embroideryEtiquettemilitary trainingpaper-cuttingtraditional Chinese cultureWomenWuhan

Chinese Police Advise Female University Students: “Don’t Trust Anyone”

Posted: 08/25/2014 9:00 am

Chinese women are being “advised” by the good men at the police department on how to keep themselves safe while away from home (while studying abroad or even just going out for a night at the neighbourhood pub). The sage advice includes “never get drunk in public” and “never trust anyone”, among other pearls of wisdom.

This 14-part list, which is circulating on Weibo, was apparently compiled by a retired police officer to best assist female Chinese university students:

The 14 Admonitions Bestowed by Your Civil Police “Papa”

1. “There is no such thing as a free lunch” (the Chinese saying involves a pie falling from the sky). Remember, only rain and bird excrement fall from the sky. A charlatan will try to paint a pretty picture for you; but, what they are actually doing is digging a deep hole for you to fall in.

2. Never persist in trying to get everything for cheap. Remember the old saying, “Disaster looms for those that are spendthrifts”. When a stranger treats you to dinner or a drink, or gives you a present, simply refuse the offer. Be on guard for drugs put into food, or for gifts to contain illegal substances or concealed electronic (spying) devices.

3. Never believe anyone that calls themselves a police officer, official, bank personnel, social security personnel or public worker on your phone regarding matters of crime, winning a prize, or tax return. Never turn off your phone because of their threats. Upon encountering this kind of situation, you should first hang up, then immediately call your parents, and then call 110 (emergency services).

4. Never trust anyone calling themselves a director, a talent scout, a broker, a fuerdai (second-generation rich person), a second-generation official, etc.

5. Never get inebriated in a place outside of your home. This is an iron rule for women because you will risk losing your morals, your etiquette, your indiscretion, your heart and even your virginity (!)

6. Be vigilant of stranger’s cars or public vehicles without proper identification. Upon entering the vehicle, you will lose the opportunity to resist or escape the car once the car gains speed and the narrow passenger space is locked.

7. Be vigilant while outside the school campus, in public spaces, while striking up conversation, asking for directions, or money, and using your phone. When using public transportation, especially when travelling alone, do not provide your phone number, or accept invitations from a fellow traveler.

8. Do not believe that you will meet your Prince Charming. This is an iron rule for girls. Instead, the basis and guarantee of a good marriage come from having similar family backgrounds, education and life experiences as well as suitable careers and salary.

9. Before setting out on your journey, be sure to inform your parents of your destination, time of arrival, and any traveling companions. While traveling,
you should be sure to first always keep open communication, then, always safeguard your cash and bank cards; and lastly, be sure to stay in reputable accommodation, such as a national hotel chain.

10. Never reveal your wealth to outsiders. Remember the old saying regarding this. Don’t show off your wealth in a public place, otherwise two things will happen as a result: you’ll become the focus of interest for bad people, and secondly, you’ll lose respect from everyone else. At the same time, don’t be caught by the allure of other people showing off their wealth. First, people that are in fact rich won’t want other people to know about it; secondly, other people’s money don’t belong to you.

11. Always remember, only by remaining level-headed will you be able to save yourself. By remaining calm you will be able to think clearly and find the best way out of danger. When you are threatened by a bad person, the more they put on a threatening display, the more they are afraid inside. Should this happen, don’t be afraid, remain calm, try to appease the bad person, and look for an opportunity to escape.

12. Do not randomly add people to your QQ friend list. Do not believe people on the internet who say they are lovesick, ill, dejected, or alone. Do not allow yourself to be swayed by their proud and aloof nature, their search for freedom, or their stories of hardship. Whenever a person online asks for money or some kind of financial help, never give them money. Instead, put them on your blacklist.

13. No matter what happens, if you are encountering danger, getting into trouble, or you have lost contact with your family and friends, you should always remember to call 110 for help.

14. Be sure to remember step 13.

We look forward to seeing the police safety list for young Chinese men going away to university. What will keep them safe?

Photo: Bob Thune, Kanka News

Tagged: onlinePoliceTipsUniversityvictimWomen

Fewer People Signed Up To Be Communist Party Members Last Year

Posted: 06/30/2014 6:07 pm

The Communist Party of China has suffered a drop in enrollment for the first time in ten years, reports MSN News.

Only 2.4 million people signed up for the developmental stage of Party membership in 2013, a full 825,000 members fewer than 2012, marking a decline of 25.5%.

There are some positive signs for party recruiters, however. Of the 86.7 million members, there are now 21 million female members, a massive increase on the previous year.

It remains to be seen whether any of the 1.6 million new female members will eventually become General Secretary.

Photo: Sohu

Tagged: Chinese Communist Partyenrollmentstatus quoWomen

Weekend Gallery: Look Your Ideal Best Through Animization and 3D Pregnancy X-Rays

Posted: 05/11/2014 1:17 pm

Weekend Gallery is our seven-day wrap up of pictures from around the internet.

We had previously featured the process of animization in our feature “How to Attract a Chinese Man Part 1: A Cartoon You is a Sexier You“, and here are some more examples on how to flatten your face and give yourself flawless skin in the perfect makeover you’ve been waiting for:

And here’s the ideal example in both human and anime forn, Fan Bingbing:

animization ideal beauty plastic surgery makeover

On the related topic of ideal optimization of physical appearances, a Weibo user named “Shallow Creek Luo” (罗浅溪) has taken the trend of bodypainting on pregnant bellies to the next level by painting 3D pregnancy x-rays:

Photos: (Animization) Weibo (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8); (3D Pregnant X-ray body paint) Weibo

Tagged: animizationbeautybeauty standardsEarthquakemake-upPhotographsWomen

How to Attract a Chinese Man Part 1: A Cartoon You is a Sexier You

Posted: 05/5/2014 7:31 pm

Hey, expat ladies: does being single in China suck? Are you tired of being an amazing catch that no fisherman is interested in? Take our Nanfang China Insider Sex Tips for the easy way to make yourself more appealing to the Chinese man!

As the prominence of social media continues to grow, so too will your appearance online. For you to properly send out the right signals, you’ll need to look your best in order to compete with the many pictures of last night’s dinner on Weixin.

We are all for being fabulous and free as a single woman in your thirties, but it remains that Chinese men are fickle with their choices. Don’t wind up being a leftover!

Entire lives and websites are devoted to fashion styles, clothes and make-up in China, but for this installment of Nanfang China Insider Sex Tips we’re going to focus on one thing: how to have an aesthetically-pleasing online appearance by Chinese standards.

If you thought posing like an alluring Chinese girl was as easy as flashing the peace sign, well sorry, girlfriend—you just Dewey Decimaled yourself a place back up on the shelf. It’s high time your avatar got a makeover.

Taking a headshot and digitally adding stars and rainbows is so pre-millennial. Nowadays, all the hippest Chinese girls are going back to the drawing board—literally.

Chinese women are taking pictures of their faces and accomplishing what make-up and plastic surgery can never do: becoming the paragon of pulchritude that is a cartoon character:

Finally, ladies—we can look our best without tramping around in high heels all night. Apply the Chinese aesthetic to your own face: flatten your face, enlarge your eyes, and make your skin into smooth, creamy porcelain. And get rid of that nose while you’re at it.

Animization isn’t just about making your character portrait into a cartoon profile, Another popular method is to enhance reality into the idyllic dream it ought to be:

If the Chinese man of your dreams has been obsessing over a two-dimensional fictional character, why let that stop you? If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!

Here’s a picture of fine, young Chinese woman. She’s very pretty, and that wink is a nice touch:

However, by online standards in the ever-competitive world of social media, that isn’t enough. Ladies, you’ll need to bring your A-game to the table, and by “A” we mean “Anime”:

Animization—it’s even better than the real thing.

If fumbling with phone apps of a foreign language or bugging your creepy co-worker to sketch you up isn’t a job in the cards, well don’t fret, you can still get of picture of the “ideal you” that has been waiting to transcend from its boring reality equivalent.

With so many people using smart phones to take “selfies”, it’s high time that a camera was specifically made for this purpose. And that’s what the Casio EX-ZR1000 is: a camera that is designed to be held at arm’s length and pointed at your own face. This camera has a screen that swivels out to allow us to take proper pictures of ourselves without needing to stand in front of the bathroom mirror.

And to help us ladies out, the Casio EX-ZR1000 is equipped with a number of built-in features that allow us to skip the hassle of Photoshop and other programs (Math and sciences—yuck! Am I right, ladies?) A special feature of this camera is a make-up filter that lightens the skin and softens the tone of everyone in its field of view—in up to twelve separate increasing increments!

We’re not sure if increasing the size of the filter will make your smile bigger, or in fact makes you truly happier.

(No word as to what will happen when a user with beautiful dark skin uses this filter, but then this problem likely has solved itself by not being on sale in places that aren’t in Asia.)

Chinese culture has its own standards of beauty, and while there isn’t much you can do to change your physical features, there is a lot you can do to change the way your physical features appear.

Ladies, it’s time for you to be fabulous and become the sexy cartoon character you’ve spent your entire career trying to overcome.

Photos: Weibo (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), Youtube screencap

Tagged: beautybeauty standardsGirlsmake-upnanfang china insider sex tipsonline datingPhotographsWomen

2 British women in Guangzhou detained in “hellhole” for 38 days

Posted: 08/29/2013 10:48 am

In another example of why it is sometimes better to just bite your tongue than kick up trouble in China, two British women were detained by police for 38 days “after becoming embroiled in a dispute at a shoe shop” in Guangzhou, according to a report by the UK’s Daily Mail on Sunday (though the South China Morning Post must be credited with the original scoop).

The conditions they were kept in have been described as “hell-like,” with only wooden planks to sleep on and an open toilet in their cell that they had to share and use in front of six other prisoners, the Mail said.

Perhaps what has really driven this story to the mainstream media is the fact that the two women’s ordeal is not yet over: authorities have refused to issue them with new visas after their current visas expired, though it is not clear whether they expired before or during detention — it would seem likely it was during their detention in view of the fact that tourist visas are usually only valid for between 1-3 months.

The women claimed they were assaulted at the shoe shop, but have since paid the owner £4,500 in a damages settlement, which suggests either that they had genuinely damaged property or else were forced into the settlement.

The report said that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was aware of the situation but could do little to resolve it by themselves because “it was a matter for the Chinese [government].”

For the full story and to read the full range of claims from the two women and their families, check out the Daily’s report.

Photo credit: Epictoon

Tagged: BritishCrimeGuangzhouJailLawPrisonWomen

20 hidden cameras found in a women’s changing room in Haikou

Posted: 05/16/2012 10:17 am

There’s a run-of-the-mill “Peeping Tom”, and then there’s a sophisticated video monitoring installation. Women at a gym on Hainan Island have found themselves victims of the latter.

An estimated 20 hidden cameras have been found in a women’s changing room in a gym in Haikou City, capital of Hainan Province. A male member of the Xiandai Gym was reported to police after trying to blackmail three women with footage of them taking showers and changing clothes. The third of the three women went to police.

The gym is estimated to have more than 1,000 female members, all of whom use the changing room. A user identified as Mrs. Wang told local television that she noticed the cameras when she looked at the roof while in the changing room.

The member who installed the videos joined the gym in September 2011. Women have blamed the gym’s management and security system for allowing the man to gain access to the women’s changing room. The gym is yet to give an explanation and the manager cannot be reached for comment.

Netizen c7680 opined that it was probably an inside job because an outsider would never be able to gain access to the changing room of the opposite sex. Another user blamed the manager for allowing ”unsuspecting women to become yellow movie stars.”

This obviously isn’t the first time hidden cameras have been found. In July 2011, a camera was installed in the women’s toilet on the third floor of a Guo Anju store in Bao’an District, Shenzhen. The explanation? The store claimed the camera was installed to monitor the saving of water.

Tagged: ExerciseGymHaikouHainanHainan IslandHidden CamerasPervertWomen

Study: Guangdong women’s income just 60pct of what men earn

Posted: 03/8/2012 4:32 pm

In the PRD, where, to put it plainly, tradition values boys above girls, women still hold up far less than half the sky.

This year, the All-China Women’s Federation teamed up with the Guangdong Statistics Bureau on March 1 to jointly publish the results of research into the contemporary social status of women, results which show that women are generally situated within a lower employment structure, leave the labor market earlier, and earn 40% less than men do.

Happy Women’s Day, ladies.

Education Level

The research shows that women’s education levels continue to rise, and that the younger of those surveyed enjoyed incrementally more equal employment opportunities.

One surprising result was that the portion of Guangdong women under 30 with a college degree or above has reached 32.9%, 2.3 percentage points more than that of men. Moreover, 10.9% of females possess professional or technical qualifications recognized by government, 2.4 times higher than the same figure in 2000.

Women have also become more aware of the importance of lifelong learning, as 46.8% of those who obtained post-secondary education credentials choose to pursue and acquire a higher degree through continuing education.

Political Status

However, while women have become more active and participate more in the workplace, they still face huge barriers preventing them from becoming decision-makers or part of management structures at work. The research suggests that the percentage of women in a management or leadership position remains at an abysmally low 12.4%.

Financial Position

Although shrinking, the income gap between genders has women earning an annual average income of 17,516 RMB, just over three times what women earned a decade ago but 60% of what men currently earn. The average PRD woman also owns less family property than the average man, with the percentage of women who own real estate at just 38.2%.

Tagged: FeminismGender InequalityMenWomenWomen's Day

NYT: Chinese women seek money first, love second

Posted: 04/16/2011 8:00 am

At the risk of diving into an incredibly controversial topic, we take a look at an article published in the New York Times on Friday regarding dating habits of Chinese women.

The article points out that, according to a survey, 70 percent of Chinese women will only consider marrying a man who already owns property.

Among the qualities they seek in a mate, 50 percent said that financial considerations ranked above all else, with good morals and personality falling beneath the top three requirements.

Zhang Yanhong, a matchmaking consultant at Baihe, one of the country’s most popular dating sites, said many disheartened men had simply dropped out of the marriage market.

“This fixation on real estate has twisted the popular notion of love and marriage,” she said. “Women are putting economic factors above everything else when looking for a mate, and this is not a good thing for relationships or for society.”

While this article deals particularly with Chinese women dating and marrying Chinese men, the arguments are pertinent to foreigners as well. If you ask any male foreigner about their dating prowess in China, chances are they’ll tell you that they have been quite successful; nay, are even chased by many pretty women. This can lead one to believe that they are desirable, that Chinese women love foreigners, etc, but this might not necessarily be the case.

It would take a volume of books to explain the differing socio-economic, historical and cultural differences between the east and west, and no judgment is being passed here. But looking purely at the country’s economic situation, which has been poor for several hundred years, perhaps the desire to find money ahead of love is understandable.

In my time in the country, having lived in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, I’ve seen foreign friends get married and get divorced, and seen the ugly side of some marriages. I’ve also seen successful ones. (Not unlike marriages anywhere, I might add) But when two people of vastly different cultural and economic backgrounds get together, it’s even more important for both sides to begin the relationship with their eyes open: sometimes when love seems too easy, there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye.

Tagged: DatingLoveMoneyNYTPropertyThe New York TimesWomen

The Nanfang / Blog

Women

Guangdong Woman, with RMB 44 Billion, Named China’s Richest

University Course Teaches Chinese Women How To Be Virtuous and Elegant

Chinese Police Advise Female University Students: “Don’t Trust Anyone”

The 14 Admonitions Bestowed by Your Civil Police “Papa”

Fewer People Signed Up To Be Communist Party Members Last Year

Weekend Gallery: Look Your Ideal Best Through Animization and 3D Pregnancy X-Rays

How to Attract a Chinese Man Part 1: A Cartoon You is a Sexier You

2 British women in Guangzhou detained in “hellhole” for 38 days

20 hidden cameras found in a women’s changing room in Haikou

Study: Guangdong women’s income just 60pct of what men earn

NYT: Chinese women seek money first, love second

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