By gillian, on October 17th, 2011
“I’ve been coming here every weekend for two years but here is a low rate of success,” said the desperate mother shaking her head. “Some people come for four or five years but never find someone.”
“My daughter went to England for study for seven years,” she continued. “When she came back it was already too late for her to find a boyfriend… She thinks that her time in England is worth it, but to me nothing is more important than starting a family.”
The People’s Square Marriage Market is a Shanghai institution. Every Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of parents gather, regardless of the weather, clutching single sheets of paper that present their children in a few simple phrases – age, height, education, job, salary, whether they studied abroad and whether they own their own apartment.
“Female, born 1981, 1.62 meters tall, bachelors degree, project director at a foreign company, monthly salary above 10000 元, looking for someone born between 82 and 74, bachelors degree or above with a sense of responsibility for the family. “
While parents crowd around eager to talk to a foreign journalist, in the hopes that their children’s might have the opportunity to find a foreign partner, none of the parents are willing to give their real names or show their children’s faces in the media, most refuse to be photographed themselves.
“My daughter doesn’t approve of me coming here. I stole this photo of her to bring to the market,” said the father who owns the sign pictured above. He has sent is 29-year-old daughter on 12 dates with men he found at the people’s square marriage market. “But it never works out,” he said, shaking his head.
“My son is too picky,” said this Shanghai native. “A lot of girls are interested in him, but he spent a lot of money studying in Stockholm for seven years and he doesn’t have his own house yet.”
Despite the low rate of success at the market, parents maintain the hope that they will find a suitable match. “If I meet one suitable girl out of 100, I will have been successful,” the Shanghainese father.
However, a mother from northern China sees the problem in a different way. “Modern parents have very high demands for their children,” she said. “What the parents didn’t achieve they want for their children.”
Her 28-year-old daughter, who is a project manager at a foreign company, thinks the fact that her mother comes to the marriage market is “embarrassing.” But there is a traditional idea that people must marry, her mother says. “If I die with my daughter unmarried, I cannot close my eyes.”
 Photo Illustration: Zhang Wenjiang (张文江) next to his hand-made sign. While the average marriage market profile is a twenty or thirty something professional, with females vastly outnumbering males, there are always some who stand out from the crowd.
“I made a special advert specifically because I don’t want to get lost in the crowd,” said Zhang Wenjiang (张文江), pictured here next to his sign holding his university graduation picture.
The 73-year-old Shanghainese widower, who comes to the market almost every Saturday and Sunday, said he used to use agencies to try to find a new partner but they are only interested in profit. “It was hard to get the courage to come here,” he said. “I used to have a wife. She was very beautiful but she passed away. I don’t lack anything in life. I only lack someone to talk to in the evening.”
As we are talking, Zhang sees two women looking at his sign; he waves and beckons them over. The woman in question is 68, also from Shanghai. It is her first time visiting the market. They talk for about ten minutes and then swap contact details. Will the match work? “First we will talk as friends and see if we fit it each other,” said Zhang. “And then we will see.”
If you want to go:
The market takes place Saturday and Sunday afternoons from noon till about five at the north end of People’s Park, 75 West Nanjing Road. The closes metro station is People’s Square, exit 5.
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By gillian, on September 3rd, 2011
Climbing a steep set of stairs of this former Shikumen, we explore this half-shop, half-museum (the only place in China) dedicated to these musical marvels.
 Tiantian Wang (王天天), left, and Xinyu Chen (陈鑫雨) try out some of the store’s music boxes.
“Modern society is too busy, too complicated,” says Sky Music Box owner Leo Zhang (张杰). “It’s the simple things that really move people.”
Every music box has a story, said Zhang. If looked after properly, they can keep working forever without the quality of music diminishing. Music boxes are often given as gifts, continued Zhang, but there is something about the simplicity and music of these boxes that profoundly moves both the giver and the receiver.
Zhang recounts the story of a man who missed his flight back to Dalian waiting for the store to open so that he could buy a music box produced on the exact date his daughter was born. Zhang keeps a large book filled with comments from customers, pouring out their feelings about the store. One girl writes that she would marry any man who bought her a specific music box.
One Saturday morning, Tiantian Wang (王天天) and Xinyu Chen (陈鑫雨), both 18, quietly walked around the store, listening to and watching in awe all the different boxes inside the little shop. Both the girls said they were given music boxes as gifts when they were children and would love to return the favor to others now that they are old enough to give gifts themselves.
 Ningpeng Wen (温宁芃) left, and Chun Hu (胡醇) look at music boxes in the store.
Ningpeng Wen, 16, and her friend Chen Hu, 17, held music boxes up to their ears and took pictures of themselves with the shop’s giant toy soldiers during their weekend visit to Shanghai, but the two girl’s weren’t interested in buying anything.
“The boxes are too expensive for us to buy,” said Hu. “I am just here to look. The quality of the music is beautiful and the accuracy is so good.”
This behavior is not frowned down upon by the store. While the year-old-store needs to remain economically viable, Zhang said the main aim is to showcase the beauty of music boxes. Not all the boxes in the shop are for sale. Speaking of one of his favorite pieces, Zhang said, “If I sell it only one person can enjoy it, but if I keep it in the shop many people can see it.”
In his home, Zhang has several hundred music boxes, but he feels the shop is not a safe enough place to keep the most antique and valuable boxes. He said he hopes that the shop can expand in the future so that more people are able to discover the pure sound of simple music and the timeless beauty of the music box.
After the interview, we asked Zhang to introduce some of his favorite music boxes in the store.
The Gramophone
This music box is made of wood and metal. According to Zhang, wood is the ideal material of a music box housing because the quality of the music is better when it comes from within a wooden case. The music box does not use batteries but instead is wound via the small handle on the top of the case. As the music plays, the gramophone’s turntable turns combining both music and movement.
Cost: 1600 元
The Loom-Spinner
This Japanese-made music box features a little-man turning his loom. Zhang says the box is extremely well designed and well made to allow the man move up and down turning his loom, as well as play music, without batteries.
Cost: 580 元
Old Shanghai
This snow globe and music box combines western and Chinese elements to create a typical Shanghai scene from the 1930s. A woman sits at her dressing table putting on her earrings with a cat, lying peacefully at her feet. The base of the globe shows The Bund of the 1930s including Shanghai’s own statue of liberty that used to stand on the Bund.
Price: 1180 元
The Christmas Cannonball
“This is one of my favorite pieces,” said Zhang. “Although it needs power to run, it does so many things…. It is a boy’s music box.” When turned on this train plays a variety of different traditional Christmas tunes, the elves on the train all work at their separate jobs, the wheels move and the light at the front of the train turns on. If you add special liquid, the train even belches steam from its smokestack. Zhang does not plan to sell this piece.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
Everyone recognizes the character of Snow White, says Zhang, who bought this piece in the Tokyo Disney Land. Since he only has one copy of the box, Zhang does not plan to sell the piece.
The Pandas
This music box, which was made in China, features many traditional Chinese elements, from the pandas wearing Chinese-style clothing to the red and gold design. As a hidden feature, one of the drawers at the base of the box opens, providing an area where jewelry could be stored.
Cost: 580 元
The Ballerina
This music box was handmade from a goose’s-egg in the style of traditional Russian music boxes. Both the egg shape and the dancer motif are very popular types of music box, combining romance, beauty and fragility.
Cost: 429 元
How to get there:
Sky Music Box is located in Tianzifang (closest metro Dapuqiao), lane 248, number 35. The shop is open everyday from 10:30 am to 9:30 pm.
Call 021-34617695 or 13512142859 or Email 917734652@qq.com for more information.
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By gillian, on June 23rd, 2011
For CNNGo: Shanghai
Hidden just to the south of Hongkou’s Lu Xun Park is a half-mile stretch of road bursting with historical and cultural significance. Duolun Cultural Street (多伦路文化名人街) was inaugurated in 1998 as an outdoor museum of 1920s-style architecture and a monument to the city’s literary history. It was here that the league of Leftist Writers was founded in 1930 and the street was a hub of a movement of revolutionary thought that included Chinese cultural celebrities such as LuXun, Xu Qiubai, Guo Moruo and Mao Dun.
Life-size bronze statues depicting the famous individuals who form part of Duolun’s heritage, such as the statue of Rou Shi (柔石) (above), are found along the street. Rou Shi was one of the five martyrs of the Left Union killed by the Kuoming Dang in 1931.
The League of Leftist Writers Museum, located just off the main street at number 2, lane 201, preserves for posterity the hall in which the league was founded. The museum is open from 9 am to 11:30 am and 13:00 pm to 16 pm, Tuesday through Sunday.
Much of the street’s charm stems from the fact that life continues as normal inside this ‘living museum.’ Here maintenance work is carried out in front of the historic Kong residence, one of Duolun’s many architectural attractions. The former residence of Kong Xiangxi, built in 1924, features an Islamic building style.
Examples of the typical Shanghai architecture of the 1920s, an amalgamation of imported ideas mixed with traditional practices driven by a booming contemporary exchange of goods and ideas, can be found along the street. In the photo on the left, a former student’s dormitory includes an arch-lined outdoor corridor on the first and second floors, and in the photo on the right, a 1920s house build in the Renaissance style features ionic columns at its entryway.
The Hong De church, build in 1928, is a rare example of a Christian church build with Chinese architectural styles. The church is a popular location for wedding and other photo shoots due to its unique appearance and spiritual meaning.
The Koala International Youth Hostel is located in a historic building that was once a private club. Cheng Ying (陈影), left, and Xu Yifang (徐依芳) say they come to the hostel frequently for lunch because they enjoy the relaxed atmosphere inside.
The rooms of the hostel are all individually decorated, reflecting period styles.
The street, dotted with slices of culture and history (such as the Chopsticks Collection Hall or the Old Movie Café) and small antique and trinket shops, seems a world away from the bustling thoroughfare of Sichuan Lu, which runs parallel.
The fact that it is a little off the beaten path definitely contributes to the street’s charm. Wandering into the small lanes lining can provide a sense of peace and quiet that sometimes seems hard to find in Shanghai. Duolun is a surprising oasis of calm, culture and heritage hidden in Hongkou.
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By gillian, on June 12th, 2011
For CNNGo: Shanghai
It is hard to understate the allure of China’s most famous mountain. According to the Chinese saying “五岳归来不看山，黄山归来不看岳,” after Huangshan there is little need to visit another mountain. The UNESCO World Heritage site is known for its towering granite peaks, pine forests, hot springs and ‘cloud seas.’ Since the Tang Dynasty, the mountain has been immortalized in art, literature and religion, for instance the mountain and water style (山水) paintings of the 16th century. With such a rich history, photographing the mountain can be an intimidating experience for the casual visitor, so I offer some tips for bringing home a better album from the famous mountain.
 Huangshan - mountains and plants, foreground and background
The Rules of Photography : Foreground and Background
Huangshan is not a single mountain but really a whole range of mountains with several peaks reaching more than 1800 meters above sea level. It can be hard to communicate in a photo the sense of scale and grandeur that the peaks inspire in person. One way is to use foreground elements, such as flowers and people, to introduce a sense of scale into the picture. In this photo, the branches and flowers in the foreground provide a contrast with the ranges of mountains extending into the background.
The Rules of Photography: The rule of thirds, repetition and leading lines
One of the basic principals of photography is the rule of thirds. If the photo was divided into nine equal parts with two horizontal and two vertical lines, the focal point (or the main point of interest) should fall on one of the four points where the lines cross. Here, the face of the closest porter is located, approximately, at the lower right third.
Other ways to make photos interesting are to use repetitive elements, such as these two similarly dressed porters, and leading lines, like the line of stairs to draw the viewer through the frame.
Use the light
Huangshan is famed for its ‘cloud seas,’ which surround the peaks creating islands from mountains. By exposing for the sky, a photographer can throw the peaks into darkness, silhouetting the mountains and creating a dramatic image of the clouds.
Show the crowds
While, most often, photographers want to replicate the ancient Chinese paintings, portraying a peaceful and serene scene, crowds are an integral part of the tourist experience. Popular landmarks, such as Welcoming Guest Pine, can be just as crowded as the Shanghai metro at rush hour and it is important to preserve this part of the Huangshan experience as part of your photographic memory.
Look for textures and details
It is tempting to always be looking toward the heavens, but sometimes interesting photos can be found down at your feet. Look for small detains in flowers and stones, and textures and patterns in roots, leaves and shadows for a different take on Huangshan’s scenery.
Slow it down
While in general, you want to photograph with a shutter speed of at least a sixtieth of a second in order to freeze the action, sometimes blur can provide a sense of movement. If you photograph a waterfall with a lower shutter speed, using a tripod or other form of stabilization, you can produce a picture with a dreamy flow of water rather than tack sharp droplets.
Focus on your memories
Many Huangshan visitors bring a lock in order to leave something permanent behind at one of the mountain’s peaks. However, the hikers motto is: leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories. Modern portable cameras make it easier and easier to preserve your unique memories of the mountain without impacting the beautiful scenery. Rather than simply trying to replicate what you imagined Huangshan would look based on other people’s pictures, the most important photography rule is to follow your own instinct and photography what is important to you.
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By gillian, on March 12th, 2011
For CNNGo: Shanghai
Every month a different kind of market takes place at the 1933 creative hub in Hongkou. The event, which is organized by Gongyijia (公益家), focuses on arts and crafts, and second hand, repurposed and recycled items. Proceeds from the event go to help migrant schoolchildren. The idea is to make charity fashionable, make friends and share the kindness, said event volunteer Nicholas Tang (唐子建).
To find out the date of the next market visit http://site.douban.com/gongyitiaozao/ (in Chinese).
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By gillian, on December 25th, 2010
For CNNGo: Shanghai
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Christmas in Shanghai is a predominantly commercial affair. The most common places to see decorations are in shops, restaurants and hotels. These range from the simple Santa hat-clad models in the window of Wanghua Underwear Shop on Handan road (left) to the meticulous decorations of the Bund-based Peninsula Hotel. The hotel features a tree adorned with decorations sold to raise money for various charities (above), a tradition of the worldwide chain since 2003, and a gigantic gingerbread village. |
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A team of 22 Peninsula Shanghai chefs and five designers worked for four months designing and building the gingerbread village, within included two trains, a cable car, a chocolate fountain, a windmill and, of course, Santa and his nine reindeer.
At Paulaner Brauhaus’ German Christmas market, Santa made the rounds handing out sweets to visiting children (and adults) between stalls selling Christmas crafts and glǔhwein. Former Berliner, Jonas Schorr said the market made him feel like he was home. “You need something like that to feel that it’s actually Christmas abroad” Schorr said, “something that reminds you so strongly of your own culture.” |
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But the market also had a distinctly Chinese feel. At a craft tent, Xiaohong Lü sold rabbits clad in Christmas capes. The toys served two purposes since after Christmas the cape could be removed in honor of the year of the rabbit, which arrives in early February.
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In the shopping area near Yuyuan Gardens the scene was not nearly so serene. Customers packed into the tiny shops surrounding the market to search out the best deals on the myriad of Christmas decorations on sale there.
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Little festive touches could be found all around Shanghai, like the strings of snowflakes adorning a wall at The Bridge office and shopping complex on Central Jianguo Street.
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Shanghai residents are not the only ones who are normally scheduled to work on December 25, but this Santa found time to read a book while waiting for customers in Wanda Plaza mall at Wujiaochang Shopping Center. Santa will be on location to take photos with children until the end of December.
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At the Christmas display outside Nanjing Xi Lu’s Westgate Mall, seven-year-old Fang Liu stopped to admire the festive decorations. While the shopping street is the first stop on many people’s holiday list, its elaborate displays are simply a reminder of the festival cheer present across the city.
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By gillian, on December 10th, 2010
For CNNGo: Shanghai
 Huijin Ge kisses her dogs Simba and Little Grey before the start of a dog owners meetup at Hua Ting Village.
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“Shanghai is different from the rest of China,” said ShanShan Su, a dog-grooming specialist at MeiYu Pet Salon in JingAn. “Everywhere else people see dogs for their utility, here they are part of the family.”
This familial connection was on display at a recent Shanghai DogNet meeting at Hua Ting Village, where more than 200 dog owners and their pooches met to socialize, share tips and tricks and have fun in the sun.
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 Roy Chen, 23, relaxes with his dogs Lucky and Kaixin during the Shanghai DogNet meeting at Hua Ting Village.
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The success of these meetings is indicative of the status of dogs in Shanghai. What started in 2006 as an informal arrangement between a few friends to walk their dogs together has now burgeoned into a monthly meeting of more than 100 owners and their pooches, with organized bus pools, competitions, and sponsorship from pet related companies.
“Dogs are like people,” said group organizer Liu Ye. “They get lonely and these meetings let dogs communicate with each other.”
Having a dog also provides an important sense of companionship for their owners, especially in a large, fast-paced city like Shanghai.
“This is such a big city,” said native Xia Qiren. “It has more people but less human contact… Having a dog can make you feel less lonely.”
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 Xia Qiren sits with her dog, Aini, at the convenience store she runs.
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Xia, 56, runs a small convenience store with her husband, Huang HeSheng.
Their four-year old Chihuahua Aini is a regular fixture at the store. “Some of our customers love dogs and will play with her,” Xia said. “There are also some people who are afraid of dogs, but we don’t worry about that. We won’t give up our dog because some people are afraid.”
This sentiment is typical for Shanghai’s dog owners who will often go to great lengths to make sure their companion is well cared for.
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 Yusuke Masaki (foreground) grooms MoMo, while Si Wenyi attends to JoJo at MeiYu Pet Salon.
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“Shanghai people see dogs as an extension of their personality,” said Su ShanShan. “It’s just like girls who are always changing their hair style. Pet owners want to change their dog’s hair too.”
But not all of Shanghai’s furry friends are as lucky as JojJo, MoMo and Sophie whose routine includes monthly visits to the pet salon. At the Shanghai Small Animal Protection Association (SSAPA) around 30 dogs (and 12 cats) are waiting to find an owner who will pamper and protect them.
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 Gong Lei, an employee of the SSAPA, hugs Lele, one of the shelter’s residents.
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“Its very hard to find new homes for the dogs especially the older and bigger dogs,” said Gong Lei.
The shelter is running at capacity and is struggling to provide high quality care for their animals in the face of high running costs. “We need help immediately,” said Gong.
But Shanghai’s dog population is lucky to have so many people who are committed owners and careers.
When Gong Lei first read out about the SSAPA two years ago, she went to the shelter the next day to volunteer and was later offered a full time job.
“I really enjoy working at the shelter,” Gong said. “I get to spend all my time with the animals and that makes me happy.”
Jack Zhang contributed to this article.
For more information about the Shanghai Small Animal Protection Association contact Jane Su at helptheanimals@yahoo.cn or 13621746899.
For more information about Shanghai DogNet’s monthly meetings contact Leo Zhan at 13774256818 or Chris Zhang at 13917614885.
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By gillian, on August 2nd, 2010
 Twelve-year-old Miguel throws confetti onto spectators during the Carnaval del Pueblo in Walworth on August 1,2010. Although the parade took nearly three hours to progress along Walworth Road, from the tube station to the festival site in Burgess Park, Miguel didn't tire of dancing, and throwing confetti and silly string at spectators. - Gillian Bolsover photographer: photo London, England.
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I’ve been missing photography a lot recently (what with this dissertation I’m meant to be writing and this moving to China I’m meant to be doing) so, on a whim, I went to photograph Carnaval del Pueblo this weekend in Walworth (fully the opposite side of London from my house).
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 Carnaval del Pueblo: First Frame |
It’s been two months since I photographed and when I got off the train and walked to the parade preparation site, I was totally filled with butterflies. For a second I thought about turning around but I had to remind myself that I often felt like that even when I was photographing 40 hours a week.
My former colleague Ashlie White once told me that I was an anxious photographer. When I asked her why she said she could tell from the first frames of my take. Ever since then, I’ve looked at my first frame differently. They are normally pretty different from the rest of my take. Like the one on the left, random grabs of things I don’t pursue. But also it’s fascinating to look at the first thing that caught your eye. Why did you finally raise your camera at that moment and not before?
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 A young boy waits in position for the parade to start, while all around others are make last minute adjustments to their costumes and banners. - Gillian Bolsover photographer: photo London, England.
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I didn’t think much of the above picture at the time. You can tell since I didn’t stop to get the boys name and details, but I keep coming back to it. I like the way he is looking out so apprehensively from the crowded group of people, while everyone else is busy preparing for the parade to start. But I wish he had been a little taller so his head wouldn’t be cut off by the banner he was standing behind.
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 Members of the group San Simon perform the traditional Bolivian dance caporales during the Carnaval del Pueblo on August 1, 2010. - Gillian Bolsover photographer: photo London, England.  Tatiana Garavito towers over the crowd on her stilts, bending down to make bird noises at spectators. - Gillian Bolsover photographer: photo London, England.
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By gillian, on August 1st, 2009
I was lucky enough to attend the first VJ Workshop at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Ventura, California. My first time in California, it was a great way to see the cute little city.
I also had the opportunity to meet some awesome photogs, including Matt McLoone, Brett Ziegler and Maggie Starbard, whose floor I slept on, Caitlin Fitch, Janine Stengel, Shaun Kelly, Nathan Weyland and Hannah Engelson.
We had one day to shoot and another to edit a mini-story. Our group was tasked to focus on emphasizing the sounds and feelings of the place we were assigned, which, for me, was the Ventura Harbor.
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By gillian, on August 18th, 2008
On April 16, 2008, I didn’t photograph the biggest news of the day. But I spent the next few months covering the aftermath. On that day, 100 illegal immigrants were arrested during a raid at Chattanooga’s Pilgrim’s Pride chicken processing plant. Thirty-six of those arrested, mostly women with young children, were released with ankle bracelets and court dates. The local hispanic community was shocked and scared and various faith-based and nonprofit organizations organized to help those affected by the raid.
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