The Yunnanese ethnic diversity and character that old town Lijiang lacked, we found a few kilometers away in ancient Baisha village. Still a part of the Lijiang UNESCO World Heritage Site, Baisha is far enough removed that only a few tourists on bikes wander down its sleepy, dusty lanes. The Naxi first settled in Baisha […]
City Guide
Sumtseling Tibetan Monastery, Shangri-la
Yunnan province, which borders Tibet in southwestern China, is home to a sizable population of ethnic Tibetans. Its city of Shangri-la (known as Zhongdian until authorities decided their fair city was surely the paradise described in the book Lost Horizon) also contains one of the most important Tibetan monasteries. Sumtseling Monastery (also known as Ganden Sumtseling Gompa, Songzanlin Scenic […]
Shanghai’s Modern Art Scene on Moganshan Lu
One of the most exciting neighborhoods in Shanghai has sprung up along Moganshan Lu in a dilapidated industrial complex near Suzhou Creek. Drawn by low rent, artists have flocked to the area now known as M50, an abbreviation of the address 50 Moganshan Lu, where a former factory has been converted into a collection of […]
Literary Lunch at M on the Bund, Shanghai
Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a function at the Shanghai International Literary Festival, which has been running annually since 2003. The Festival draws authors from around the world and has become a major event in the Shanghai arts scene. Over 50 writers attended the 2013 Festival, including James and Deborah Fallows and Tom […]
Exploring Asian Culture at the National Museum of Korea
I am a total museum geek. Give me a building full of ancient artifacts and I will be happy for hours. If the collection is well-curated with detailed English descriptions, I could be there all day. Which is what happened when we visited the excellent National Museum of Korea in Seoul. We started on […]