Above: "Breathing out the old, breathing in the new, to be vigorous" says banner at LiuLiChang Antique Street in Beijing. Being vigorous is one thing, but becoming modern is another. Photo gallery below.Can Business Learn from Mao?
ANCIENT IDEAS FOR GLOBAL USE
In 1964 Mao gave comment to a letter from a musical institute student:
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Gu Wei Jin Yong - Ancient experience for modern use
Yang Wei Zhong Yong - Western experience for China's use
Western products are often localized for China market in search to create a match. But China itself hasn't been discovered as a treasure box of ancient innovations for future use, yet. Ancient China and it's traditions might also have potential building blocks for global products. Examples:
MEDICAL
China has adopted western medical diagnoses, blood tests, equipments. But Chinese medicines are widely used for treatment. There must be some ancient knowledge into service.
FARMING
China has adopted modern science to boost its farming. GMO products, plastic green houses, fertilizers are widely used. As most of the farming is outdoor and farming is based on seasons, solar terms of lunar calendar are used for timing. Check the ancient knowledge for today's use.
BUSINESS
Sun Zi's book The Art of War is well known by western business people. It's an example of ancient behavior and thinking which is used for modern business strategies and by MBA-EMBA programs.
FURNITURE
Chinese furniture is known of being very decorative. But some of the past times furnitures were simple and still modern. Learn from Ming Dynasty simplicity which gives the touch of modern style.
ARTS
Have a look at Wu Yong, clay dancing figures from Tang Dynasty and get surprised. Ancient and timeless. Ideas of such for designers?
MUSIC
Imagine elements of Chinese music added to global music. Think of using Beijing Opera music elements. Chinese want perfect classical performances, but at the same time new China has evolution from simple melodies towards complex setups and even improvisation. Imagine what Chinese might be able to contribute in jazz!
CHINESE HEROES
Ancient stories, legends, historical figures and even recent model citizens are huge storage of themes for content and product development. Story is the key. For global use: animations, mobile games, online games, console games.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, MIIT, said it will establish Games Development Center. "Urgently needed" they said. A Nasdaq listed China portal NetEase "NTES" has already published onl-game about former soldier and model citizen Lei Feng.
HARD WORKING MENTALITY
That is a real Chinese virtue. It can become a real competitive advantage if combined with western efficiency and process based, non-Guanxi business.
More, Chinese cuisine, clothes, communication, materials, colors, formats...
Epilog
Chinese have done according to Mao's theory. They have been absorbing western cream since opening in late 70s.
China's history provides a great amount of thinking differently. It is possible for MNCs and SMEs to learn new combinations of ancient/modern or western/Chinese might prove to work. Not only for product/service localization, but also for global markets. R&D projects should learn Chinese "unknowns". Strategy developers in western companies should think this perspective when updating their China strategies. Ancient ideas for global use.
BeijingMan aka Kippo
List of BeijingMan Postings
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All pictures taken at LiuLiChang Antiques Street in Beijing. I used Canon 20D with EF-S 10-22mm zoom. Click to enlarge.
Above-1: LiuLiChang is the most famous antiques street in Beijing. It's an east-west street, has some 200 shops, some of them hundreds of years old. All started when the Chinese intelligentsia begun here get-togethers before their qualifying tests. I discussed about shop names translations with two experts, best effort done.
Above-2: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Ji Gu Ge - "Absorbing Ancient Treasures"
Same building, see also pictures 29 and 30.
Above-3: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Ku Ji Shu Dian - "Ancient Book Store"
Above-4: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Ku Ji Shu Dian - "Ancient Book Store"
This is a famous book store.
Above-5: LiuLiChang antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Wen Kui Tang - "Literate Talents"
Above-6: LiuLiChang antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Wen Wu Chu Ban She - "Antique Press"
Above-7: LiuLiChang antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Beijing Hua Dian - "Beijing Painting Shop"
Above-8: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Jin Chang - "Jin Chang Antique Shop"
Shops in pictures 34 and 40 have same name.
Above-9: LiuLiChang antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Kong Fang Zhai - "Confucius Literature Shop"
Name is read from right to left.
Above-10: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Seal carving service.
Above-11: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Wood and metal works. Very friendly shopkeeper.
Above-12: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing. Made of sandal wood which gives smell and prevents insects.
Above-13: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Seal carving service on street.
Above-14: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: "Ink Language Painting Saloon"
Above-15: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Inside "Ink Language Painting Saloon". Competition for this painter, who lives in small backroom, is not limited only to painters nearby.
Competition also comes from famous oil painting village Dafen in Buji near ShenZhen (near Hong Kong). There some 8000 - 10000 oil painters is said to paint in factorized manner. Copy of a western masterpiece painting is prized about 40EUR (50USD) of which the painter gets less than one euro.
Above-16: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.
Above-17: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: First Class Calligraphy, Doing things in bigger scale
Inside was unbelievably smell. Air dried fish was not ready yet.
Above-18: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Pei Cang Zhai - "Enough Ups and Downs"
Name is read from right to left.
Above-19: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Zhong Hua Shu Dian - "China Book Store"
Established in 1952.
Above-20: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop's name in Mandarin: Shang Wu Yin Shu Guan - "Commercial Press"
Shop's name in English: Yi Pin Xuan Art Gallery
Above-21: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Qing Mi Ge - "Quiet and Secret"
Name is read from right to left.
Above-22: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Ku Ji Shu Dian - "Ancient Book Store"
Shutter in Canon 20D is too noisy, I probably disturbed.
Above-23: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Rong Bao Zhai - "Glorious Treasure Place"
Famous calligraphy/paintings shop, founded over 330 years ago.
Above-24: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Guan Fu Zhai - "Appreciating Ancient"
Name is read from right to left.
Above-25: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Qing Yun Tang - "Heavenly Clouds"
Name is read from right to left.
Above-26: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Jing Wei Shu Lou - "Beijing Flavour Book Store"
Above-27: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Hong Bao Tang - "Great Treasure"
Upper name is read from right to left, lower name from left to right.
Above-28: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Hong Bao Tang - "Great Treasure"
Name is read from right to left. Part of same building as Above-27.
Above-29: LiuLiChang antiques street, Beijing. Looking from LiuLiChang Xi Jie towards LiuLiChang Dong Jie, from western street towards eastern street. Twin roof building is same as in pictures 2 and 30, it has famous shop Ji Gu Ge.
Above-30: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Tea house: Cha Yuan - "Tea Garden"
This corner belongs to the same building as Above-29.
Above-31: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Gu Yi Zhai - "Ancient Art"
Above-32: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Terracotta soldiers from Xian.
Above-33: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Bao Cui Tang - "Jade Treasure Collection"
Above-34: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Jin Chang - "Jin Chang Antique Shop"
Above-35: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Yan Jing Shu Hua Dian - "YanJing Book and Painting Shop"
Ancient name for Beijing was YanJing, now famous beer brand in China.
Above-36: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Song Jun Ge - "Pine and Bamboo"
Name explanation: Firm dedication, bamboo rather cracks than bends.
Above-37: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Yue Hai Suan - "Music Sea"
Name is read from right to left.
Above-38: LiuLiChang antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Wen Sheng Zhai - "Plenty of Literature"
Name is read from right to left.
Above-39: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Tea house: Tian Fu Cha Zhuang - "Heavenly Luck Tea House"
Above-40: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Shop name: Jin Chang - "Jin Chang Antique Shop"
Above-41: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing.Embroidery show in a shop. This shop was different, sellers let you walk around in piece and didn't disturb.
Above-42: LiuLiChang Xi Jie antiques street, Beijing. Street corner.
Above-43: LiuLiChang Dong Jie antiques street, Beijing. Eastern street. Place was not active, boring, more like dead. But it was also like entering into a time machine.Not many visitors at LiuLiChang. Place should be saved back to life. If alive, LiuLiChang could be one of those old style targets within modern Beijing.
Day was hot, not many visitors at LiuLiChang. I stopped for a moment at this banner from 1960s. What is it about?Banner in above picture
Those persons are Chairman of Communist Party Mao Zedong and Vice Chairman of Communist Party Lin Biao. Lin Biao has Mao's Red Book article selection.
Culture Revolution started in 1966 and ended in 1976 by downing of Gang of Four. It was launched by Mao and his fourth wife Jiang Qing. Defense Minister Lin Biao supported it, but later wanted Mao's position. He died during his flee to Soviet Union, in airplane crash, September 1971 in Mongolia. That opened opportunity for Deng Xiaoping to return and start with industrial reforms, and more.
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Up middle text:
Breathing out the old, breathing in the new, to be vigorous
Text is held up by:
GongNongBing
Gongren = workers, Nongmin = farmers, Bing = soldiers
Down left text:
Beijing You Ge Jin Tai Yang - Beijing has golden sun
Down right text:
Mao Zhu Xi Wan Sui - Long Live Chairman Mao
Down middle text:
Long live the success of proletarian class Culture Revolution
LiuLiChang Antigues Street, Beijing
+ Feels like entering into past times
+ Many shops and sellers let you go around in piece
+ Perspective via shop names
- Not many Chinese visitors gives feeling that it's just for tourists
- Too many cars at LiuLiChang Street
- No restaurants, services
*** OK TARGET FOR A FEW HOURS WALK THROUGH ***
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© BeijingMan aka Kippo 2008, 2009
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