SwampFox

SC Native Creates New Video Series about China Culture

Submitted by: Steven Weathers on Jul 28, 2008 at 3:59 pm Tagged with: art, Asian Culture, China, Chinese Language, Shanghai Source: Steven Weathers

Shanghai, China (July 28, 2008) -- Greenville, SC, native, Steven Weathers, has created a new culture video series on a foreigner's life in China. The series is entitled, "Foreigner Perspective," which Weathers says has a nicer ring to it in Chinese.

"We named the series 'Laowai Shixian' in Chinese, which is really quite funny," says Weathers. "In Chinese,'Laowai' is sometimes a pejorative term to refer to foreigners in China who will always be considered 'outsiders'; but sometimes the label can have the complete opposite meaning -- and used endearingly among friends. So the title of the show has really captured an audience that is interested in both interpretations of a 'laowai's' life in their country."

Weathers believes the series also appeals to Westerners. "So many friends in the States ask me what my life is like in China. What better way to answer that question than by showing them?"

The first eight-minute episode features a popular art district in Shanghai called Mo Gan Shan Road, number 50 (AKA M50), and the majority of the episode focuses on a gallery called "Two Cities." Gallery director, Eva Ting, explains the wide range of styles of Chinese contemporary art in the art district:

"In general, I think the trend is people are really interested in contemporary Chinese art. Christies and Sotherby's, both huge auction houses, have seen record breaking sales in the past couple of years, and people are very interested in buying Chinese art. A lot of the art that is being produced, I think, show the tension that China feels in trying to figure out: 'Okay, this is what has happened in our past.' 'What is happening now?' 'What does the future look like?' And trying to also kind of navigate that tension of: 'This is our Chinese culture, our heritage, and we're learning Western tools of thought,' 'We're being exposed to Western art, and how do we find our voice?' "

The first episode of "Foreigner Perspective" can be viewed on Weathers' web site, American English Circle (http://www.meiyuquan.com/moganshanlu.htm). Weathers hopes the video will also help introduce new English words to Chinese and new Chinese words to foreigners learning Mandarin.

The first feature is also available on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaodyECxlGw

Weathers has a Masters in English Language and Literature from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. After graduating, he spent 10 years in marketing and advertising. Now he is a visiting lecturer at Shanghai Normal University, where he teaches "Western Marketing and Advertising." Weathers also works closely with the advertising and media industry in Shanghai. Contact Weathers through his email: steven@meiyuquan.com.

More: http://www.MeiYuQuan.com

# # #