China Segment

The 56th floor of Jinmao Tower hosts the Patio Lounge, on the base of the Grand Hyatt’s massive atrium.  It’s home to perhaps the best view in all of Shanghai (notice it’s indoors), though on a recent trip there it also boasted some of the worst service in the city as well - and there [...]

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While writing the previous post on 黄酒 huángjǐu, I realized that I had never blogged about 白酒 báijǐu. Here at China Segment, that sort of lack of attention is frowned upon.
First, let me say that Wikipedia has a fine article about the topic at hand here. (I link to Wikipedia through [...]

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If you’ve ever had to enjoy the company of relatives in China, you will have been introduced to 黄酒 (huángjìu), Chinese yellow spirit or yellow liquor. If not that way, then maybe you had 10 kuai left in your pocket at the local convenience store and said, what the hell, I’ll try some of [...]

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This is a traditional liquor store in China. Looks to me like home brew, which back home is just as famous for making people go blind as for bringing on the sweet buzz of forbidden nectar. Potent and relatively legit, the stuff sold in these stores is bottled in objects you’d figure suitable [...]

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The main event at all Chinese weddings is the banquet, which is very much like the Western wedding reception, without the dance. There are speeches, food, wine, and more food. It’s a good time and I highly recommend cozying up to some local friends to get invited. In fact, in Shanghai some [...]

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So the Gufus got me hammered last night. A “Gufu”, in Chinese, is an uncle, or more precisely the husband of your father’s younger sister. Making sense? Well, regardless, my wife has four of them, and four being a rather unlucky number in China, should have forewarned me.
Actually I’ve always known they [...]

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