On the menu this week from China: as appetizer, we serve breast-masseurs, for the main course you have flying shoes and as dessert we offer Hello Kitty theme parks. For alternate news, please read the rest of our menu.

The Strange

1) First Licensed Male Breast-Masseur

Source: shanghaiist.com

A witty comment would seem almost necessary here, but we’ll leave it to you to choose which one fits best.

Xia Jun, CEO of a housekeeping service company in Shanghai, has become the first man in China to ‘officially’ be qualified to hand out breast massages.

After three months of what have been grueling studies at the China Employment Training Technical Instruction Center, he came out diploma in hand a certified breast-massage therapist.

His motivation? A response to market needs: new mothers having trouble producing enough milk for their infants.

2) ‘Happy Thought Room’ for Divorcees in Jiangsu

Marriage registration offices in Jiangsu Province will soon usher couples on the verge of divorce into special rooms designed to ‘help them think clearly’ before putting pen to paper.

The rooms, not unlike kindergarten classes, are said to have walls covered with positive words; words that might bring to the surface hopefully more joyful memories than those experienced by the couple at that very instant.

Officials explained the aim was not geared towards discouraging couples to divorce, but rather to prevent couples from making rash decisions.

 

3) Abandoned Liger Cubs Nursed by Canine Mother

Source: m.nouvellesmobile.ca

The Xiaxiakou Wildlife Zoo in Weihai welcomed two new members recently: two adorable liger cubs, born of a tigress and a lion.

Compounded to their extreme rarity was the identity of their nursing mother: a dog who recently gave birth to her own puppies.

When their genetic mother stopped feeding them after only a few days, a surrogate mother had to be found. The litter of ligers had originally comprised four cubs, but two died after their mother stopped feeding them.

Ligers are bred in captivity, and are extremely rare.

4) Hello-Kitty Theme Parks to Sprout around China

Source: weirdasianews.com

The frenzy will not abate. The famous white cartoon feline will soon have its very own theme parks in China.

Starting this July, Zhejiang Province will see the progressive rise of a 150-acre theme park comprising diverse rides and rollercoasters, and will reunite all of Hello Kitty’s friends.

Sanrio, the Japanese company behind the recognizable cartoon kitten, already has two theme parks set up in Japan (see photo).

With forward estimates of one million visitors a year, the theme park is set to open in 2014.

The Discussed

5) Father of China’s Great Firewall Hit by Shoe

Sorry, that’s all we got

Remember when George Bush was dodging shoes matrix-style in press conferences?

Something similar occurred late last week as Fang Binxing was lecturing at Wuhan University. A man threw a pair of shoes, as well as an egg, in his direction. The first shoe hit him, the second was blocked, and the egg missed its mark.

Fan Binxing is known (and reviled by some) as being the computer scientist responsible for the inception of China’s Great internet Firewall.

6) Qi Baishi Painting for Chiang Kai-shek Sells for $65m

Source: bbc.co.uk

A Qi Baishi painting depicting an eagle perched on a pine tree has sold for 425.5 million Yuan (over $65m) last Sunday night.

Qi Baishi, one of China’s most celebrated contemporary painters, finished the work in the mid 1940s and had intended to offer it as a gift for Chiang Kai-shek, leader of China at that time.

The auction, representative of the new buying power of a wealthy stratum of Chinese society, came short of last year’s all-time record for an art sale, a calligraphy scroll by Huang Tingjian that sold for 436 million Yuan ($67m).

7) Renaming of Qinghua University Building Sparks Debate

Source: www.chinadaily.com

The No. 4 classroom building of Tsinghua University was given a brand new name on Monday: Jeanwest Clothing

Following donations from the Hong Kong-based company of an undisclosed amount, which would help in the maintenance of the building and replacement of its equipment, the university agreed to re-baptize it to its donor’s name.

Though the marketing move has sparked debate amongst the student body, 14 more buildings are still currently ‘on auction’, as the university looks for additional funding.

Donations are estimated to range anywhere from 2 million Yuan to more than 100 million Yuan.
 

Related links
S&M Patriotism, Death and New Dinosaurs – News from Around China
TV Bans, Art Sex and French Shopping – News from Around China
The Normal, the Weird and the Discussed – News from Around China

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