Comments on: The Great China Divide: No Heat For You! http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/ I'm a dad, designer, China expat and blogger Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:41:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ed http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-27879 Ed Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:29:00 +0000 http://www.thehumanaught.com/blog/2007/01/07/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-27879 I've lived a year in Xiamen and now am into a year in Shanghai. The theme for the Shanghai 2010 World Expo is "Better City, Better Life," so what's up with the heat? This heating dictum of who gets it and who doesn't is an artifact of a starving China and a command economy. Times have changed what with one of the best subways on the planet, the Maglev and all sorts of booming industry. Yet, even rich parents let their kids (to say nothing of their teachers) sit shivering while in school, robed like Eskimos inside and out. It's the Chinese propensity to "take it and shut up about it," that has always played into the hands of the leadership and stymied rational change. It's the 21st Century for Pete's sake, even cavemen knew enough to light a fire. I’ve lived a year in Xiamen and now am into a year in Shanghai. The theme for the Shanghai 2010 World Expo is “Better City, Better Life,” so what’s up with the heat? This heating dictum of who gets it and who doesn’t is an artifact of a starving China and a command economy. Times have changed what with one of the best subways on the planet, the Maglev and all sorts of booming industry. Yet, even rich parents let their kids (to say nothing of their teachers) sit shivering while in school, robed like Eskimos inside and out. It’s the Chinese propensity to “take it and shut up about it,” that has always played into the hands of the leadership and stymied rational change. It’s the 21st Century for Pete’s sake, even cavemen knew enough to light a fire.

]]> By: The First And Last Day of Spring | Life In Suzhou China Blog | Adventures of the Humanaught http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-10492 The First And Last Day of Spring | Life In Suzhou China Blog | Adventures of the Humanaught Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:08:44 +0000 http://www.thehumanaught.com/blog/2007/01/07/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-10492 [...] Alright, it’s been all of five minutes or something since I posted my last entry - but this deserves mention, especially taking into account how much I bitched about the cold. [...] [...] Alright, it’s been all of five minutes or something since I posted my last entry – but this deserves mention, especially taking into account how much I bitched about the cold. [...]

]]> By: Ryan http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5644 Ryan Thu, 11 Jan 2007 02:21:43 +0000 http://www.thehumanaught.com/blog/2007/01/07/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5644 @Matt: Good advice, I'll see if I can line up some Korean tutoring - and wear shorts. @Flotsam: "Good for your healthy"... classic. And yeah, I second that comment to Jason. I balked it too when I heard Shanghai was cold... and I'm living it first hand now. @Therese: Thanks! I was hoping this post my generate some more information about this arbitrary line that the government uses for where there is and isn't centralized heating. I looked tirelessly (ok, max 10 minutes on Google) for some solid evidence, but everything pointed to the Chang Jiang being the divide. My problem with centralized heating is that I often get 7th fl. apartments and the hot water for the rads just never seems to want to make the climb. @Matt: Good advice, I’ll see if I can line up some Korean tutoring – and wear shorts.

@Flotsam: “Good for your healthy”… classic. And yeah, I second that comment to Jason. I balked it too when I heard Shanghai was cold… and I’m living it first hand now.

@Therese: Thanks! I was hoping this post my generate some more information about this arbitrary line that the government uses for where there is and isn’t centralized heating. I looked tirelessly (ok, max 10 minutes on Google) for some solid evidence, but everything pointed to the Chang Jiang being the divide. My problem with centralized heating is that I often get 7th fl. apartments and the hot water for the rads just never seems to want to make the climb.

]]> By: Therese http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5640 Therese Thu, 11 Jan 2007 01:29:06 +0000 http://www.thehumanaught.com/blog/2007/01/07/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5640 I lived for a short period north of the Changjiang in Jiangsu (Nantong) and we didn't have government-provided heating (instead purchased a pricy electric radiating heater with an attachment for providing water vapor, an electric blanket, and had a padded fleece quilt made at the market). :( I didn't miss it much at the time as I had become bitter about government heating during my time as a student in Harbin -- although we had heating, the drafty windows et al meant that most of it was lost in the end. I lived for a short period north of the Changjiang in Jiangsu (Nantong) and we didn’t have government-provided heating (instead purchased a pricy electric radiating heater with an attachment for providing water vapor, an electric blanket, and had a padded fleece quilt made at the market). :( I didn’t miss it much at the time as I had become bitter about government heating during my time as a student in Harbin — although we had heating, the drafty windows et al meant that most of it was lost in the end.

]]> By: flotsam http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5627 flotsam Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:46:36 +0000 http://www.thehumanaught.com/blog/2007/01/07/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5627 Ryan. Having lived through Jiangxi winters since 2003 I concur with everything you've said. At least it hasn't killed your sense of humour or powers of perception. Try making Ludou soup, or better still Yam soup - both are sweet, hot and 'good for your healthy', as the students say. JasonS. Yes I understand what you are saying, I come from a cool place too and was a little surprised at how numb the Chinese winter left me even though it was warmer than winter at home, but the difference in this part of the world is that it is cold inside as well as outside, 24 hours a day, every day of the week. The only place you can be sure of escaping it is in bed at night. In your country [and my home country] you have the option of getting inside a heated building when it gets too uncomfortable. Ryan.
Having lived through Jiangxi winters since 2003 I concur with everything you’ve said. At least it hasn’t killed your sense of humour or powers of perception. Try making Ludou soup, or better still Yam soup – both are sweet, hot and ‘good for your healthy’, as the students say.

JasonS.
Yes I understand what you are saying, I come from a cool place too and was a little surprised at how numb the Chinese winter left me even though it was warmer than winter at home, but the difference in this part of the world is that it is cold inside as well as outside, 24 hours a day, every day of the week. The only place you can be sure of escaping it is in bed at night. In your country [and my home country] you have the option of getting inside a heated building when it gets too uncomfortable.

]]> By: China Law Blog http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5600 China Law Blog Wed, 10 Jan 2007 04:25:39 +0000 http://www.thehumanaught.com/blog/2007/01/07/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5600 <strong>China's Winter Economy Rising...</strong> China View recently posted an article on its website describing a northern China boom in winter tourism. Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and Xinjiang provinces are starting to reap the benefits of their long winters and heavy snowfalls by developing ski... China’s Winter Economy Rising…

China View recently posted an article on its website describing a northern China boom in winter tourism. Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and Xinjiang provinces are starting to reap the benefits of their long winters and heavy snowfalls by developing ski…

]]> By: matt http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5563 matt Tue, 09 Jan 2007 03:21:06 +0000 http://www.thehumanaught.com/blog/2007/01/07/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5563 You will find double glazing on the windows of many of the houses inhabited by Koreans in Suzhou, not only double glazing but hot water pipe heating in the floors too (but they are paying approx 10000rmb/month in rent). Snag yourself some Korean private tuition customers and you too can bask in warm heat for a few hours a day. But beware, some of them are a little bit overzealous with their hospitality and will have the heating up so high that you almost pass out in class. You will find double glazing on the windows of many of the houses inhabited by Koreans in Suzhou, not only double glazing but hot water pipe heating in the floors too (but they are paying approx 10000rmb/month in rent).

Snag yourself some Korean private tuition customers and you too can bask in warm heat for a few hours a day. But beware, some of them are a little bit overzealous with their hospitality and will have the heating up so high that you almost pass out in class.

]]> By: Ryan http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5551 Ryan Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:03:03 +0000 http://www.thehumanaught.com/blog/2007/01/07/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5551 @Ambling: Yeah, I'm jealous. @J: I complain about the heat in the summer just as much as I complain about the cold in the winter. The thing is, I'm no scrawny little Aussie that's idea of winter is a cool breeze. I'm a stocky Canadian for Mao's sake. There's just something ridiculously core chilling about humid winters with borderline sub-zero temperatures and very little escape from it upon arrival home. What I've discovered as my salvation though comes in the form of Swiss Miss... man, I don't think I've had hot chocolate since I was a kid, but I'm quickly becoming a fiend for it now. Chocolate (good), boiled water (good), hot (good)... all good. @Ambling: Yeah, I’m jealous.
@J: I complain about the heat in the summer just as much as I complain about the cold in the winter.

The thing is, I’m no scrawny little Aussie that’s idea of winter is a cool breeze. I’m a stocky Canadian for Mao’s sake. There’s just something ridiculously core chilling about humid winters with borderline sub-zero temperatures and very little escape from it upon arrival home.

What I’ve discovered as my salvation though comes in the form of Swiss Miss… man, I don’t think I’ve had hot chocolate since I was a kid, but I’m quickly becoming a fiend for it now. Chocolate (good), boiled water (good), hot (good)… all good.

]]> By: nanchanglife http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5539 nanchanglife Mon, 08 Jan 2007 05:03:54 +0000 http://www.thehumanaught.com/blog/2007/01/07/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5539 I know exactly how you feel. I am currently sat at the computer wrapped in my duvet. Have suffered Nanchang winters for a good few years now and they are much worse than anything up north. Last winter my wife and I went to Beijing to visit friends. On her mother's advice she packed shed loads of clothes and refused to listen to me (note her mother had never been to Beijing at that time - I've visited every winter for the past 6 years) that although it might be cold outside it was a dry cold and didn't get into your bones and that inside pretty much everywhere would be toasty warm. Needless to say after the first day she started to complain that she was too hot (allowing me a rare "told you so" moment). That being said i still haven't won the war. We have our own apartment here in Nanchang and, like most places south of the Yangtze, no central heating. The mrs. refuses to buy air-con for the apartment cos it's two-storey so all the cold/heat will be lost, then complains when i drag the duvet from bed to computer to sofa that it'll get dirty. Think i'll just have to go out regardless and buy the air-con units, and risk the wrath. If i'm going to be in the dog house i might as well be warm! I know exactly how you feel. I am currently sat at the computer wrapped in my duvet. Have suffered Nanchang winters for a good few years now and they are much worse than anything up north. Last winter my wife and I went to Beijing to visit friends. On her mother’s advice she packed shed loads of clothes and refused to listen to me (note her mother had never been to Beijing at that time – I’ve visited every winter for the past 6 years) that although it might be cold outside it was a dry cold and didn’t get into your bones and that inside pretty much everywhere would be toasty warm. Needless to say after the first day she started to complain that she was too hot (allowing me a rare “told you so” moment). That being said i still haven’t won the war. We have our own apartment here in Nanchang and, like most places south of the Yangtze, no central heating. The mrs. refuses to buy air-con for the apartment cos it’s two-storey so all the cold/heat will be lost, then complains when i drag the duvet from bed to computer to sofa that it’ll get dirty. Think i’ll just have to go out regardless and buy the air-con units, and risk the wrath. If i’m going to be in the dog house i might as well be warm!

]]> By: China Law Blog http://www.ryan-mclaughlin.com/blog/farrago/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5534 China Law Blog Mon, 08 Jan 2007 03:13:54 +0000 http://www.thehumanaught.com/blog/2007/01/07/the-great-china-divide-no-heat-for-you/#comment-5534 Then there's Korea, where the determination of whether to use air conditioning has almost no connection to the temperature, but rather, is dependent on the date. Then there’s Korea, where the determination of whether to use air conditioning has almost no connection to the temperature, but rather, is dependent on the date.

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