85,000 museum artifacts feared lost in NYC Chinatown fire

NEW YORK  — Some 85,000 artifacts that tell the story of the Chinese migration to the United States may have been lost in a fire that struck a building in the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown, a museum official said Friday.

The president of the Museum of Chinese in America told The New York Times that most of the thousands of historic and artistic items in its collection were probably lost in the fire that started Thursday night and tore through a building where the museum’s acquisitions were stored.


“One hundred percent of the museum’s collection, other than what is on view,” said Nancy Yao Maasbach, the president of the museum. She said that the collection was one of a kind and that she was “just distraught” after receiving the news.

The fire started in a former school that more recently housed a senior center, the Chen Dance Center and a number of community groups. The museum is nearby and stored its collection in the structure that was hit by fire.

A Fire Department spokesman said the fire was still not under control Friday night, 24 hours after it was first reported.

Videos and photos posted to social media Thursday night showed flames bursting out of windows and flowing heavily from the roof of the building, which Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter was “a pillar to the Chinatown community.”

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said firefighters were forced to battle the blaze from the outside.

“The interior became untenable and the units had to be withdrawn,” he said. “It was too dangerous in the building.”

Maasbach said she was told by emergency responders that no one will be able to enter the building to retrieve items for at least three weeks. She said the museum’s artifacts, which include textiles, restaurant menus and tickets for ship’s passage, have likely been soaked by water and will be irreparably damaged by then.

About 35,000 items in the collection had been digitized and those files were backed up, she said.

Nine firefighters and a 59-year-old man were injured in the blaze. The man was rescued from the fifth floor of the building and was reported to be in serious but stable condition. The firefighters sustained minor injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation.


The fire comes ahead of the Lunar New Year, which is Saturday.

City Council member Margaret Chin tweeted that the fire was “devastating.” “We will work to make sure vital services aren’t lost,” Chin told WNBC.

“I know the neighborhood is in shock,” de Blasio tweeted. ”We’re going to help the community get through this.”

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

China gives $6 million for food in Ebola countries

BEIJING — China has contributed $6 million to the World Food Program to help stave off food shortages in countries worst affected by the Ebola virus.

The WFP announced Monday that the money will go to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where the Ebola outbreak has led to widespread transport disruptions and higher food prices and caused some farmers to abandon their crops and livestock.

The donation will provide emergency rations for 300,000 people for one month, mainly rice, lentils and yellow peas.

It follows the dispatch of several planeloads of medical materials and aid teams from China to the three countries.

With the world’s second-largest economy, China is beginning to make larger contributions to international aid efforts. Chinese companies are also among the largest investors in Africa.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Blame game erupts as China criticizes Malaysia over MH370

BEIJING – Beijing on Monday blamed Kuala Lumpur for a lack of information about a vanished Malaysia Airlines flight, as tearful relatives of the 153 Chinese passengers aboard voiced frustration with all sides of the response effort.

Nearly two-thirds of the 239 people aboard Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 were from China, and if the loss of the aircraft is confirmed, it would be China’s second-worst air disaster in history.

“The Malaysian side attaches importance to the incident with a sincere attitude, but in light of the situation, the Malaysian side needs to step up their efforts,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters at a regular briefing.

Qin declined to pinpoint any specific areas of the Malaysian response with which Chinese authorities were dissatisfied, noting that “the incident is still under investigation”.

But China’s state-run media minced no words on Monday, lashing out at Malaysia and its national carrier over their handling of the missing jet, demanding answers despite the early stage of the investigation and calling for a swifter effort.

Officials said two Europeans whose names were on the passenger manifest — who both had their passports stolen in Thailand — were not on board.

“The Malaysian side cannot shirk its responsibilities,” the Global Times newspaper, which is close to China’s ruling Communist Party, wrote in a scathing editorial. “The initial response from Malaysia was not swift enough.

“There are loopholes in the work of Malaysia Airlines and security authorities,” it said.

“If it is due to a deadly mechanical breakdown or pilot error, then Malaysia Airlines should take the blame. If this is a terrorist attack, then the security check at the Kuala Lumpur airport and on the flight is questionable.”

China itself regularly enforces heavyweight security, while authorities are often secretive about real or alleged incidents.

 Terrorism fears

The China Daily newspaper wrote in an editorial that “terrorism cannot be ruled out”, with Malaysian and international authorities still at a loss to explain how at least two passengers were able to board with stolen Italian and Austrian passports.

“Who were they and why were they using false passports?” the paper asked.

“The fact that some of the passengers on board were travelling with false passports should serve as a reminder to the whole world that security can never be too tight, at airports in particular, since terrorism, the evil of the world, is still trying to stain human civilization with the blood of innocent lives,” it added.

Malaysia’s police chief said Monday that one of the men who used the passports had been identified, after ministers reportedly said they had Asian facial features.

At a Beijing hotel, Malaysian embassy officials were processing visa applications for families wanting to take up an airline’s offer to travel to Kuala Lumpur to be closer to the rescue operations.

Scores of relatives made their way into the room, some in groups of five or six, clutching handkerchiefs and wiping away tears from their faces.

Some family members are expected to travel from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur on a 1:30 a.m. flight Tuesday, but many said they would not go.

“There is more we can do here in China,” one woman told AFP. “They haven’t even found the plane yet.”

Calls for action

Some have criticized Malaysia Airlines’ response and information disclosure, asking the Chinese government to devote “strong attention” to the incident.

“There is very little information coming from the airline,” lamented one 40-year-old Chinese man, who said his best friend was on the plane. “They are very slow. We have to rely on the media.”

Others have called for top Chinese officials to help the family members deal with the airline, drawing a contrast with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has reportedly visited families in Kuala Lumpur along with his wife.

Beijing sent a working group to Malaysia Monday, the state-run Xinhua news agency said, including officials from the foreign, public security and transport ministries.

The aircraft’s disappearance came one week after a deadly attack at a train station in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, in which a group of knife-wielding assailants killed 29 people and wounded 143.

Both Beijing and Washington have condemned the mass stabbing as an act of terror, with Chinese authorities blaming it on separatists from the restive far western region of Xinjiang.

Even as information remains sparse and the hours tick by, many relatives in Beijing continue to believe that the passengers may yet be found, according to one US-trained psychologist who counselled about 20 families awaiting news at the hotel.

“I think most of them are holding onto that thin ray of hope,” he said. “Whether they believe it to be realistic or not, most of them are not letting it go.”

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Binondo makeover under way

MANILA, Philippines—The plan to rehabilitate Manila’s Binondo district—the biggest and oldest Chinatown outside of China—could be as basic as getting rid of the spaghetti wirings, scrubbing the grime off the facades of buildings and introducing Chinese decorative elements.

But the plan also includes proposals to build a “vendors’ paradise” and parking structures over the esteros, according to Manila Councilor Bernie Ang.

Ang is the vice chair of the Manila Chinatown Development Council formed by Mayor Joseph Estrada to oversee the renewal of Binondo and develop it into a tourist destination.

“We want the old buildings to change their facades so that the aesthetics will be Chinese,” Ang told the Inquirer. “Architect Simeon Tan will suggest how to do it using the cheapest materials available in China and Hong Kong.”

Tan said building owners could use Chinese characters on signs, introduce Chinese décor and architectural elements like red paper lanterns and roof tiles, and use the colors red, emperor yellow and green.

The proposal also includes construction of a new Chinese-Filipino friendship arch, tourist information centers at Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz and Plaza Sta. Cruz, parking structures and vending stalls over the Tetuan and San Fernando esteros, and expansion of the Gandara police station.

Vehicular traffic could also be rerouted to make Ongpin Street pedestrian-friendly and attract more visitors to do walking tours of the town.

Quick fix
In a separate proposal, Kelsey Ngo, president of Pinwheel Media Group Inc., suggested a quick fix: Give Binondo a face-lift by putting on outdoor stickers bearing Chinese motifs. These stickers last at least five years, according to Ngo. His project portfolio includes Filinvest City and Greenhills Promenade.

Ang said the city government would ask the Chinese government to support the Chinatown project.

“By next year, we will see physical changes in Binondo,” he said.

The four umbrella organizations of the Chinese community—Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Philippine Charitable Association, Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Philippine Chinese Business Club—have agreed to support the city government’s development plan.

Unified celebration

The groups used to hold separate celebrations of the Lunar New Year but this year, with Jan. 31 being declared a special nonworking holiday and the city government spearheading the festivities for the first time, Estrada asked them to hold a unified celebration.

A solidarity dinner was held at the Lido de Paris Hotel on Ongpin Street on Thursday night, followed by a countdown at 11:15 p.m. In Chinese tradition, a day is divided into 12 cycles, with the first cycle, the start of the day, running from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., according to Ang.

The countdown and the musical fireworks display were held at Plaza Sta. Cruz in front of the North Gate on Ongpin Street.

On Friday afternoon, a solidarity parade featuring at least 20 dragon and 100 lion figures will pass through the five gates of  Chinatown. The dragon dance parade ushers in prosperity, according to Ang.

With at least 5,000 people expected to participate, the parade could stretch to 3 kilometers, he said.

Parade route

The Chinese umbrella groups donated 6,000 boxes of tikoy to be distributed at the start of the parade at 1 p.m. at Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz.

From there, the parade will proceed to Juan Luna Street, turn left to Plaza Cervantes, right to Quintin Paredes, left to Escolta, left to Plaza Sta. Cruz, right to Ronquillo, left to Ongpin, left to Sabino Padilla, right to Quintin Paredes, right to Ongpin, left to Sabino Padilla, left to Soler, left to Reina Regente and end at Lucky Chinatown Mall.

Traffic will be stopped on major streets on the route of the parade. Congestion may be expected at the southern and northern approaches to MacArthur Bridge and Jones Bridge and on the south and north sides of Rizal Avenue and Quintin Paredes.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

18-treasures feast for Chinese New Year, French féte for Valentine’s Day

Sofitel Philippine Plaza kicks off the Year of the Horse with two important festivities that many Filipinos look forward to—the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day.

A preview of Sofitel’s celebrations and offerings for the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day was held last Wednesday at Spiral’s Epicure Private Dining Room. Three huge round tables were beautifully set up in the room, each laden with a sumptuous spread of dishes for each occasion.

The dishes for Chinese New Year included Braised Pork Knuckle with Iceberg Lettuce and Oyster Sauce, Steamed King Prawn with Fresh Garlic, Braised Sea Cucumber with Minced Chicken Szechuan Sauce; and for Valentine’s Day, Caviar Pie, Green Salad with Cheese and Edible Flowers and dark and white chocolates in all sizes, shapes and flavors.

The middle table was meant for the ceremony of Yusheng to bring good luck to the whole year. Yusheng is a prosperity toss raw-fish salad consisting of strips of raw fish (tuna and salmon) mixed with shredded vegetables (carrots and green radish) and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients.

The Chinese ceremonial toss was participated in by Sofitel’s Chinese executive chef Mok Chee Wah, food and beverage director Damien Marchenay, sales and marketing director Chanelle Garvey, general manager Adam Laker, resident manager Carl Gagnon and regional executive chef for Asia Pacific Eric Costille.

“Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day have been two of the most celebrated occasions in the Philippines,” said Laker. “And, Sofitel has lined up fabulous ways to observe these momentous events. We’ve prepared an extensive spread for the Lunar feast and the most romantic dinner for Love Day.”





For Chinese New Year, chef Mok Chee Wah has prepared a special 18 treasures-themed menu, ongoing until Feb. 2 at Spiral, from different regions of China (Cantonese, Szechuan, Shanghainese and Peking-style).

In Chinese numerology and phonetics, the number 18 is associated with prosperity. The 18-treasures menu features 18 types of steamed and fried Hong Kong dim sum, 18 main courses, several live cooking stations, including Mongolian with fresh meat, seafood, and 18 kinds of sauces, lobster laksa with 18 kinds of condiments, and 18 desserts.

Dishes include Braised Sea Cucumber with Szechuan-style minced chicken, Shanghai-style fried spicy chicken, Cantonese-style wok-fried pork chop, and Peking-style wok-fried long bean and minced beef. There are more dishes to feast on, such as Spiral’s signature chili crabs, various Hong Kong roast meats, and foie gras siomai.

On Jan. 29, Spiral will hold a 15-piece fashion show with the Shanghai Nights Collection featuring the look and feel of Shanghai as interpreted by renowned designer Albert Andrada.




On Jan. 30, Chinese New Year’s Eve, there’ll be dragon and lion dance performance at 7:30 p.m. plus fireworks display. A Chinese cultural dance will cap the celebrations at 10 p.m.

French-style Valentine’s

For the love month, Spiral French chef Bettina Arguellas will sprinkle flowers on dishes from main courses to desserts to cocktail drinks on Feb. 13-16.





The floral feast starts with barley salad with basil flowers and broccoli, lavender and couscous salad, and glazed spring vegetables with squash flowers. The romantic rendezvous blossoms with peppered lavender beef tenderloin and honey pork loin with plum and lavender relish, deep-fried courgette flowers with basil dip and seared prawns with chamomile beurre blanc.

The French culinary touch is highlighted in other dishes such as Foie Gras and Duck Prosciutto with Compote of Strawberry and Roses and Glazed Iberian Pork Belly with Swiss Chard, Lavender Poached Apples and Grape Mustard Vinaigrette.

On Feb. 14, guests can have a private dinner for two at Sunset Bar. They can indulge in a six-course set menu prepared by Arguellas while being served by a personal butler. The experience will be made even more special with live entertainment by a romantic duo, a bottle of champagne, a box of heart-shaped chocolates, a bouquet of roses and a special gift from Jewelmer.

Singles are not left out on Valentine’s Day. In fact, it’s Black Valentines at Le Bar with no romantic intonations but rather live entertainment and guaranteed lots of fun to help them forget it’s Valentine’s Day.





For reservations and inquiries on Sofitel’s Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day treats, call 8326988, 5515555; or e-mail fbreservations@sofitelmanila.com

source:  lifestyle.inquirer.net

Couple in China ‘sells’ daughter for iPhone

SHANGHAI–A young Chinese couple are facing criminal punishment for “selling” their daughter and using part of the proceeds to buy an Apple iPhone, state media said Friday.

Shanghai prosecutors have brought a case against the couple for human trafficking after they illegally put their third child up for adoption through online postings and accepted money for the baby, the Liberation Daily reported.

Investigators found the mother, whose full name was not given, used the money to buy an iPhone, high-end sports shoes and other products, also online, it said.

Apple’s products are wildly popular in China, where a teenager sold his kidney and used the funds to buy an iPhone and iPad in an incident widely reported last year.

But the couple told police that they wanted the girl to have a better upbringing than they could afford, since they already had two children.

“Giving away the child was not for obtaining benefits, but giving the child better guarantees,” one said.

Shanghai police and prosecutors could not be immediately reached for comment.

Shanghai media reports did not give the amount the couple received, but their online postings referred to 30,000 yuan and 50,000 yuan ($4,900 and $8,200).

Apple last month launched the iPhone 5s, including a gold-coloured model, and the more budget-conscious iPhone 5c in China.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

a chinese feast you can make at home

The Maya Kitchen recently featured the best of Chinese cuisine, with guest chefs from Manila Hotel’s Mabuhay Palace.

Executive Chinese chef Sun Bing and Chinese operations manager-executive Chinese sous chef Josephine Yu Tanganco-Candelaria showed guests how to prepare Vegetarian “Peking Duck,” Shrimp Glazed with Almonds, Water Chestnuts and Anchovy Fried Rice, Soy-Glazed Chicken Stir Fry, West Lake-Style Minced Lapu-Lapu Soup and Pan-Fried Chinese Pancake.

The duo also had tips to share. How do you make something fried, extra crispy? Double fry it. Why do some recipes call for both light soy sauce and dark soy sauce? The dark soy sauce gives the color, while the light variant gives taste. You can use cream dory in place of lapu-lapu. A pinch of baking soda helps tenderize chicken faster.

Toast almonds in the oven toaster or frying pan with no oil. This gives extra crunch and brings out the taste of the almonds. Lastly, if you apply for a job as a Chinese cook and you put the eggs last when you cook fried rice, then you can kiss the job goodbye. The egg comes first, so as to give the rice a hint of yellow color.

The Mabuhay Palace is one of Manila Hotel’s premier restaurants. It is open every day for lunch, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and dinner, 6-10 p.m. Call 5270011 for reservations.

For more information on other course offerings, visit www.themayakitchen.com; e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com; or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8/F, Liberty Bldg., 835 A. Arnaiz Ave. (Pasay Road), Makati City, tel. 8921185, 8925011 local 108, 0947-8352290.

Vegetarian Peking Duck

Ingredients

    100 g Hoisin sauce
    30 g bean sauce
    100 g sugar
    12 pcs momo wrapper
    10 g taro, shredded
    15 g carrot, shredded
    10 g black mushroom, shredded
    10 g bamboo shoots, shredded
    0.5 g dried sea moss
    10 g golden mushrooms
    180 g water
    Sugar to taste
    Salt to taste
    Chicken powder to taste
    30 ml cooking oil
    Potato starch, soaked in water
    100 g Maya All-Purpose Flour
    12 pcs fresh cucumber, batonnet cut
    ½ pc bean curd skin

Procedure:

1. Mix the ingredients for the sauce and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Meanwhile, steam the momo wrapper.

2. Fry the shredded taro and drain excess oil.

3. Boil the shredded carrots, black mushroom, bamboo shoots, dried sea moss, golden mushroom and then drain excess water.

4. Pour the water into the wok. Add fried shredded taro and all boiled ingredients. Season with sugar, salt and chicken powder. Add potato starch until the desired consistency has been reached.

5. Place the bean curd skin on a clean mat. Spread the flour-and-water mixture on the bean curd skin. Place one nori wrapper in the center, followed by the cooked ingredients. Place another nori wrapper on top and spread another layer of the flour-and-water mixture. Finally, fold the bean curd skin to close the “parcel” and spread a final layer of the flour-and-water mixture outside the bean curd skin.

6. Deep fry.

7. Cut fried bean curd skin into 12 pieces.

8. Place them on momo wrappers. Add sauce and fresh cucumber on each of them and fold.

West Lake-Style Minced Lapu-Lapu Soup

Ingredients

    5 g lapu-lapu, minced
    3 g straw mushrooms, minced
    200 g soup stock
    Salt, to taste
    Sugar, to taste
    Chicken powder, to taste
    2 g wansoy, chopped
    1 g rice wine
    1 g sesame oil
    Potato starch, soaked in water

Procedure:

1. Boil minced lapu-lapu and straw mushroom, then drain.

2. Heat a large wok and pour soup stock in the wok. Add cooked fish and straw mushrooms. Season with salt, sugar, chicken powder, rice wine and sesame oil. Once seasoned, add the wansoy.

3. Add potato starch until the desired consistency has been reached.

Soy-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients

    3 tbsp cooking oil
    6 pcs chicken thighs, on the bone, skin removed
    2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
    1 pc (2 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
    3 pcs spring onions (two stalks finely sliced into rounds and one stalk sliced into long diagonal pieces)
    6 tbsp water
    1 tbsp honey
    5 tbsp light soy sauce
    ½ pc fresh red chili, finely sliced

Procedure:

1. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large wok over high heat. When hot, cook the chicken thighs. This will approximately take four to five minutes. Once browned on all sides, remove and set aside.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil. Once warmed through, add the garlic, ginger and the two finely sliced spring onions. Fry for two to three minutes until the ingredients are cooked through. Put the chicken back into the wok and toss to incorporate with the rest of the ingredients.

3. Pour in the water, honey and soy sauce. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, put a lid on the wok and cook for five minutes.

4. Remove the lid and turn the chicken thighs. They should be evenly caramelized in the reduced liquid. Cook for another three minutes or until the liquid has reduced to a sticky glaze and the thighs have cooked through. Remove the chicken from the wok and allow it to rest for three minutes.

5. Place the chicken thighs on a serving plate and garnish with the remaining spring onions and red chili.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Chinese economy grows 8.1% in Q1

(Financial Times) -- China's economy grew 8.1% in the first quarter from a year earlier, its slowest pace in nearly three years.

With Europe struggling and the U.S. recovery appearing to ebb, signs of strength from China, the world's second-largest economy, could still help allay fears of a global slowdown.

Concerns had emerged last year that the combination of weakening export demand and a slumping domestic property market would weigh on China.

Investors, many of whom had been waiting for Beijing to announce stimulus measures, had grown worried at the government's perceived inaction.

World Bank: China in 'soft landing'



But Beijing has been quietly injecting cash into the economy, encouraging banks to lend more and easing restraints on credit flows. A larger-than-expected Rmb1tn ($159bn) in new loans in March, announced on Thursday, was the latest evidence of its shift towards a moderately pro-growth stance.

A gradual, managed slowdown in the economy is exactly what China has been trying to achieve. Premier Wen Jiabao said last month that the country was aiming for 7.5% growth this year, its lowest target in almost a decade.

Although most analysts still expect it to surpass that target, the low number is an indication of the government's ambition to steer the economy towards what it sees as a slower, steadier growth pattern.

Over the past decade, the Chinese economy has been powered by the twin engines of exports and capital investment, but both are now running out of steam.

Exports have been increasing more slowly since the global financial crisis and the outlook remains bleak. As for investment, though China still needs far more spending on infrastructure from water pipes to highways, its capital goods expenditures account for nearly 50% of its economy, a level that is seen as unsustainable by many economists and officials.

Beijing's oft-stated goal has been to fire up consumption as a new engine for the economy. Along with subsidies for cars and household appliances, the government has been increasing the minimum wage to promote income growth and boost the purchasing power of ordinary citizens.

source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/12/business/china-gdp/index.html?hpt=ibu_c2

Year of the Dragon roars into Asia

BEIJING - Asia welcomed the Year of the Dragon on Monday with a cacophony of fireworks, hoping the mightiest sign in the Chinese zodiac will usher in the wealth and power it represents.

From Malaysia to South Korea, millions of people traveled huge distances to reunite with their families for Lunar New Year -- the most important holiday of the year for many in Asia -- indulging in feasts or watching dragon dances.

As the clock hit midnight, Beijing's skyline lit up with color as families across the Chinese capital set off boxes and boxes of fireworks to ward off evil spirits in the new year -- a scene repeated across the country.

Those living in the Philippines, meanwhile, were able to sleep in on Monday after the Lunar New Year became an official holiday for the first time, despite objections from some in the business community.

The dragon is the most favorable and revered sign in the 12-year Chinese zodiac -- a symbol of royalty, fortune and power that is also used in other cultures that see in the Lunar New Year, such as in Vietnam.

As such, hospitals across China and in Chinese communities are bracing for a baby boom as couples try to have a child this year.

Nannies in Beijing and neighboring Tianjin are charging more in 2012, and the beds in the capital's Maternity Hospital are all booked up until August, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong even took advantage of the Dragon to call on the country's residents to boost a stubbornly low birth rate, in an attempt to reduce the government's heavy reliance on foreign workers.

"I fervently hope that this year will be a big Dragon Year for babies... This is critical to preserve a Singapore core in our society," he said in his new year message.

But in Hong Kong, where tens of thousands of pregnant mainlanders come to give birth every year to gain residency rights for their babies, the Dragon may not prove such a boon as it could exacerbate problems such as limited beds and soaring delivery costs.

And according to some astrologers and geomancers, the Dragon may bring natural disasters and financial volatility to an already destabilized world.

Hong Kong feng shui master Anthony Cheng warned a "scandalous corruption case" would rock China in the second half of 2012, and also said high-ranking Chinese officials would be forced to step down, thrown behind bars or even die.

But people across Asia disregarded the doomsday predictions over the holiday, preferring to feast and celebrate with their families, and pray at temples or pagodas.

Highways in Malaysia, where 25 percent of the population is ethnic Chinese, were clogged at the weekend while the capital Kuala Lumpur became almost deserted as people traveled home.

In South Korea, which also celebrates the Lunar New Year, more than half of the entire population -- or some 31 million people -- took to roads, railways and planes for the holiday.

But stores in the capital Seoul -- normally quiet at this time of year -- bustled with activity as tens of thousands of tourists from China swamped major shopping areas to spend an expected 100 billion won ($88 million) in January.

"I feel like I'm walking on the street in China. There are so many of them," Park Eun-Yong, a South Korean college student, told AFP. — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Chinese Astrology- Love Compatibility

There is a lot that your astrological sign can tell you about your love compatibility! Discovering this useful information can help you pick the right partners and take meaningful decisions.

Chinese astrology is a popular system that can reveal a lot about your innate nature as well as your partner’s (based on the sign you fall under). Historical records reveal that Chinese astrology and the zodiac signs are derived from the lunar cycle and the zodiac sign of a person is determined by his birth year.

The Chinese Zodiac Signs

There are twelve signs in the Chinese calendar:

Rat
Ox
Tiger
Rabbit
Dragon
Snake
Horse
Sheep/Goat
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
Boar



These signs are believed to run in a cycle, so every twelve years the cycle commences all over again. People who are born in the same year share certain characteristics and personality, and reading through information about their character makes it easy for them to predict their love compatibility.

Which Are The Most Compatible Chinese Astrology Signs?

There is no denying that while the union of certain signs can be beautiful, others can be a total disaster. Hence, it’s important to check whether you are compatible with a person before dating him or considering him as a life partner.

The Soul Mates

Given below are the best matches for the twelve signs. Such partnering is made in heaven:

Horse – Goat
Snake – Monkey
Dragon – Rooster
Rabbit – Dog
Tiger – Pig
Rat – Ox



Dragon and dog make an incompatible couple as they are continually at odds with one another and prefer doing things their own way. The Rooster and dog encounter friction since neither agrees with the other. The monkey and the tiger have a hard time tolerating each other because of their opposing outlooks. There is also an open hostility found between the snake and the tiger.

Karmic Friction
Dog – Rooster
Rat – Goat
Ox – Horse
Tiger – Snake
Rabbit – Dragon
Monkey – Pig



According to the Law of attraction, certain souls try to seek each other out and nothing (neither creed, nor caste, nor race) can deflect their karmic connections. Rendezvous are made and they convene from one life to the next. But these meetings are not easily possible. We too have to keep our minds and hearts open. Following the compatibles, laid down by Chinese astrology, it becomes easy to meet people with character traits that are compatible with ours. However, at no point should we construe that the signs are the only factor that affects our compatibility; there are several other factors which we discover as we read on about this historic Chinese system.

Through Chinese astrology you can find a great deal about yourself and your partner. It’s best to consult the Chinese Zodiac signs before choosing your life partner.

Article Source:
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