Updated 4/17/2010 – After Qualification Rounds, the Starting Grid (see below) / Updated 4/18/2010 – Race Results (see below)
Webber (2nd), Vettel (1st), Rosberg (3rd) at Podium Malaysia GP 2010 © Mypokcik Dreamstime.com
Recap and Thoughts of Last Race: Malaysia
Sebastian Vettel (Germany), for Red Bull Renault, finally came in first after a lot of frustration with two pole positions for the first two races and failing to take the podium because of mechanical failures. Vettel started from 3rd position for this race and after over taking his teammate, Mark Webber, led after that with no looking back. This is Vettel’s 1st win of the season and his 6th career win. Mark Webber (Australia), coming in second after winning pole position was over taken by Vettel early and both drivers for Red Bull Renault led throughout the race. This is Webber’s 1st podium finish for the 2010 season. With this win the Red Bull team has had five 1-2 finishes for its history. Nico Rosberg (Germany), for Mercedes GP started in 2nd position and came in 3rd. This will be his first podium finish for the 2010 season. Rosberg is a driver to keep an eye on, he is young, a great driver, and out to make a name for himself. He has been in the shadow of his teammate Michael Schumacher (Germany) since he came out of retirement. Now, because of his racing ability Rosberg is quickly coming out from behind that shadow. He has had better starts and finishes than Schumacher for the last three races and I think he will only get better.
Luck has not been on Schumacher’s side since coming out of a three year retirement. He had a fairly good starting position for the Australian Grand Prix but was involved in an incident that was not his fault. It took out his front wing and had to pit way too early, this pushed him to last place for a bit before his driving ability pushed him forward to gain championship points. With this race, he had a wheel problem that took him out midway through the race, so he did not finish.
Robert Kubica (Poland) for Renault, like Rosberg, is also not getting much attention for his consistent driving ability around the circuits. After starting in 6th he moved up to finish the race in 4th. Because of this, he is now within ten points from taking the lead for World Driver’s Championship.
Qualifying saw some shockers. Fernando Alonso (Spain) and Felipe Massa (Brazil) for Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) for McLaren Mercedes were knocked out in the 1st qualifying round and started in the back of the pack. Alonso did not finish the race, but because it was with a few laps to go, he managed to still take 13th place. Massa came in 7th. Jenson Button (Great Britain), Hamilton’s teammate, was knocked out of the 2nd qualifying round and started in 17th. Button was last year’s Malaysian Grand Prix winner, last year’s World Driver’s Champion, and was the winner of the last race in the Australian Grand Prix. He drove well and avoided other driver’s mishaps and finished in 8th. Hamilton, starting in 20th maneuvered the track well moving up with skill to finish in sixth place.
The Driver’s Championship after three races (the highest point leader at the end of the season wins the FIA World Driver’s Championship):
Felipe Massa is leading with – 39 points, Fernando Alonso – 37 points, Sebastian Vettel – 37 points, Jenson Button – 35 points, Nico Rosberg – 35 points, Lewis Hamilton – 31 points, Robert Kubica – 30 points, Mark Webber – 24 points, Adrian Sutil – 10 points, Michael Schumacher – 9 points, Vitantonio Liuzzi – 8 points, Rubens Barrichello – 5 points, Jamie Alguersuari – 2 points, and Nico Hulkenberg – 1 point.
For the Constructor’s Championship after three races (same as drivers most points at end of season wins and please note full names of teams are given):
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro – 76 points, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes – 66 points, Red Bull Racing Renault – 61 points, Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team – 44 points, Renault F1 Team – 30 points, Force India F1 Team Mercedes – 18 points, AT&T Williams Cosworth – 6 points, and Scuderia Torro Rosso Ferrari – 2 points.
SHANGHAI, CHINA
The Race
China GP Qualifying round 2009_Courtesy of Force India F1
Held at the Shanghai International Circuit, the course was built back in May 2004 and is billed as the most advanced and challenging tracks in the world. It is located in the Jiading District in Shanghai, China. The track has twelve grandstands and the grounds can hold a capacity of over 200,000 people, of which the main Grandstand can hold up to 29,000 people. For the F1 race the track has 16 turns and will be 56 laps with the average speed of 204 kph and corner speed of 129 kph. The track has some amazing straights where there should be a lot of acceleration and passing, making for some exciting racing. Fans come from all over China and the world. Michael Schumacher holds the track lap record at 1:32.238 back in 2004 when he was racing for Ferrari. The duo that won the last race, the Malaysia Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel came in first and Mark Webber came in 2nd at last year’s Chinese Grand Prix as well, with Jenson Button coming in 3rd.
At this point, I think there is still a lot of jockeying around for position by the teams and drivers. As you can see by the championship points, it is very close. After this race, there will be fifteen more races so anything can happen until a driver and/or team starts running away with the points. I think it says something about this year’s race, in that there appears to be more parity among the teams. Even some of the newest teams, like Force India and Lotus, are becoming a force (could not resist that one!) to be reckoned with. This should be a very good race.
F1 Race weekend begins (please check back as I will update this article with the starting grid and with race results over the weekend):
Friday, April 16, 2010 will be televised practice runs for the teams and drivers. Practice runs are mainly to fine tune the cars and drivers by testing the track, crew, and the cars. If in the United States, this will be live on Speed Channel at 2:00 am EST or Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 11:00 pm PST.
Saturday, April 17, 2010 will be qualifying for the starting grid for the race. This will determine pole position (inside 1st row) in the final round. The starting grid this year will have twelve rows of two cars each. There are three qualifying rounds. The first round eliminates seven drivers/teams from moving forward to the next round. The second qualifying round will do the same, taking out the bottom seven drivers/teams, leaving the fastest ten. The third and final qualifying round will take the final ten drivers/teams and will determine the first five rows of the starting grid. It is a little more complicated than just fastest lap speed and there are situations where it is possible that a driver with a faster lap could end up in the back seven rows. In the United States, this will be live on Speed Channel at 2:00 am EST or on Friday, April 16, 2010 at 11:00 pm PST.
UPDATED 4/17/10 2:00 AM – STARTING GRID (1st Seven Rows):
1st Row: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Pole Position, Fastest Lap 1:34.558 (this is his third pole position for this season and was also at the pole for the 2009 Chinese Grand Prix that he won) racing for Red Bull Racing Renault; and his teamate, Mark Webber (Australia), Fastest Lap 1:34.806 (he came in second last year in the Chinese Grand Prix). Note: Vettel came in first and Webber second in the last race in Malaysia.
2nd Row: Fernando Alonso (Spain) for Ferrari, Fastest Lap 1:34.913; and Nico Rosberg (Germany) for Mercedes GP, Fastest Lap 1:34.923.
3rd Row: Jenson Button (Great Britain) for McLaren Mercedes, Fastest Lap 1:34.979; and Button’s teammate, Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain), Fastest Lap 1:35.034.
4th Row: Felipe Massa (Brazil) for Ferrari, Fastest Lap 1:35.180; and Robert Kubica (Poland) for Renault F1 Team, Fastest Lap 1:35.364.
5th Row: Michael Schumacher (Germany) for Mercedes GP, Fastest Lap 1:35.646; and Adrian Sutil (Germany) for Force India, Fastest Lap 1:35.963.
6th Row: Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) for Williams Cosworth, Fastest Lap 1:35.748; and Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) for Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari, Fastest Lap 1:36.047
7th Row: Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) for Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari, Fastest 1:36.149; and Vitaly Petrov (Russia) for Renault F1 Team, Fastest Lap 1:36.311
People are saying there is a high chance of rain like last year, just not sure if it will be early or late in the race. Should be a great race tomorrow!
Sunday, April 18, 2010 is RACE DAY. In the US, Speed Channel will cover this live at 2:30 am EST or on Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 11:30 pm PST.
Updated 4/18/2010 2:30 am Race Results:
1st Place – Jenson Button (Great Britain) for McLaren Mercedes. Last year’s World Driver’s Champion won this race, his second win for this season. Button now leads in Championship points with this win at 60 points.
2nd – Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) for Mc Laren Mercedes. Another past World Driver Champion and teammate to Button. With this win Hamilton ties Fernando Alonso (Spain) for 3rd place for World Driver’s Championship with 49 points.
Note: With the 1-2 win by McLaren Mercedes (Great Britain), this also puts McLaren Mercedes in first place for World Constructor Championship at 109 points. This is also McLaren’s 1st 1-2 finish in more than 44 races.
Also, Hamilton is subject to an inquiry review veering off in pit lane. The review should be out within the next seven day. Some say he will not face penalties and that his second place finish will not be in jeopardy. We will see what the officials have to say.
3rd - Nico Rosberg (Germany) for Mercedes GP. Rosberg, that I mentioned above in my original article as the driver to watch is now in 2nd place with this win with 50 World Driver’s Championship points. This win is his second podium finish for the 2010 season.
You should go to the special page I set up above called Formula 1: Intro, Wine, and Food for more detailed information on F1, race schedule, results (updated 4/18/10), championship standings (updated 4/18/10), links to all teams, drivers, racing circuits, and organizations that have websites to further your knowledge and enjoyment of the sport. You will also find a real-time television schedule of air time for the races on Speed Channel. This page will supplement the individual articles that I write and will also serve as an archive when the racing season ends and for the series of articles.
NEXT UP: Spain a May 9, 2010 (race day)
A video found on YouTube that I thought you would enjoy with Red Bull Renault Driver, Mark Webber doing a lap on a Shanghai Track Simulation:
A Brief Background on History, Culture, and Customs of China and Shanghai
The Great Wall of China
How do I even begin with China without going on for hundreds of pages? Well, it is called an overview! I have been providing these with each article for the country and the city where the race is held, so here it goes. [Please see footnote at bottom of article]
China’s Old Stone Age, under the Paleolithic Age, began over 1,000,000 BC/BCE (to some scholars and researchers it goes all the way back to over 2,000,000 BC/BCE) and ran to about 10,000 BC/BCE. China’s New Stone Age began in the Neolithic era that ended around 2,100-2,000 BC/BCE in the Yangtze River valleys (southern and eastern China) and Yellow River (central and northern China in present day Henan Province). The Neolithic era still had the hunting and gathering from the Paleolithic Age, but saw the growth of agricultural communities, the use of earthenware, housing, some infrastructure, and other advances toward modernization.
The Dynasties were part of the Ancient Period (est. 2100 – 256 BC/BCE) and the Imperial Period (est. 221 – 1911 AD/CE). The Modern Period saw the Republic of China (1911 or 1912– 1949 AD/CE) and then the People’s Republic of China (1949 – present) with Taiwan still under the Republic of China (1945 – present):
Xia Dynasty (est. 2100-1600 BC/BCE). This is the first known Dynasty, but many argue whether it really existed and in what form. Many attribute this as being part of the Shang Dynasty because of lack of proof or refusal to recognize Xia. However, archaeologists have uncovered artifacts from this period such as bronze, jade, and tombs that point to the existence of Xia civilization and in the same locations as in historical texts that were written after this Dynasty.
Shang Dynasty (est. 1600-1046 BC/BCE). The Shang Dynasty is sometimes referred to as the Yin Dynasty in its later years (mainly because of the name of its then capital Yin). Many incorporate this period into the Xia timeline. The Shang cultivated a writing system and therefore the first recordings of China’s history and took place over its 500 years, 31 kings, and 17 generations. The name, as in some writings, comes from the name of a rebel leader that overthrew the Xia rulers. It was also not a great time to be a commoner or slave, the Shang rulers as well as other slave owners it is said were buried with their possessions of which included their slaves for most part. Human sacrifice was also part of this period. The region this covered now includes the modern city of Anyang (was the Yin capital), and many artifacts have been excavated from the Huang He, Henan Valley. Although there is some knowledge that jade and bronze existed prior in the Xia era, it became predominate in the Shang Dynasty. The period after all was part of the Bronze Age.
Zhou (Chou) Dynasty (est. 1046-221 BC/BCE). This was one of the longest lasting. It is named after a frontier tribe that overthrew the last leader of the Shang. This Dynasty is divided into sub-periods: Western Zhou (1046 – 771 or 770 BC/BCE), Eastern Zhou (771 or 770 – 476 BC/BCE) and was divided into two time periods Spring and Autumn, and the Warring States Periods (collectively 476 or 475 – 221 BC/BCE). The Warring States was a time of philosophers, great poetry, Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism developed under this Dynasty. It also saw increases in market places and the money economy. Iron was used now for tools and other things and with it the ability for agriculture to grow. The population exploded during this era because of these advances. It also advanced into other areas/regions that the Dynasty ruled.
Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty (est. 221 – 206 BC/BCE). Legalism from the prior Dynasty had an affect here, as it was the philosophy used as the basis of their rule. This Dynasty also reunited what would become China combining the Western, Eastern, Southern, Northern, and The Warring States among other territories. The one most responsible for this consolidation of power was Ying Zheng (259—210 BC/BCE) who came into power at age nine and took the name of Qin Shihuangdi (AKA: Qin Shi Huang) and named himself the first Emperor of the Qin. Qin at that time was pronounced chin and was the source of the name China. Qin Shihuangdi was credited with uniting several forts and walls that began under the prior Dynasties of which led to the beginning stages of the Great Wall of China. His style of rule formed a massive bureaucracy of civil and military government, one that was used by all future dynasties until 1911 saw the birth of the Republic of China. It was during Qin Dynasty that infrastructure of roads and canals were expanded. He also standardized currency, a tax system, and the system of measurements. Many may also recognize the 6,000 life size Terracotta Warriors and Horses in Xian that were built to stand guard over the mausoleum where Emperor Qin Shihuangdi rests. These were discovered back in 1974, a remarkable site to behold.
Han Dynasty (est. 206 BC/BCE – 220 AD/CE). The weak successor to Emperor Qin Shihuangdi came to power and caused a rebellion, the Qin army was defeated and the Han Dynasty came into power. The Han Dynasty was divided into two periods because of a break in the succession caused by a revolt that resulted in a brief change in rule by the Xin Dynasty (9 – 25 AD-CE). The two periods of the Han Dynasty are the Western Han/AKA: Former Han or Xi (206 BC/BCE – 9 AD/CE) and the Eastern Han/AKA: Later Han or Dong (25 to 220 AD/CE). The Han Dynasty is attributed to lessening the Legalism form of governance and implementing Confucianism for official and individual conduct; however, Buddhism was starting to build a following during this period. Expansion of territories grew and along with it the control of trade routes throughout China. The Han also established one of the two largest cities in the world at the time (the other being Rome), Chang’an in present-day Shaanxi Province.
The Six Dynasty Period (est. 220 – 589 AD/CE) this was a time of upheaval, political instability, and growth of Buddhism and it showed in the architecture and in temples built in this period:
Three Kingdoms (est. 220-280 AD/CE). This followed the fall of the Han Dynasty and China was divided once again. This was known as a period of disunity. The three kingdoms (many call empires) were the: Wei (aka: Cao Wei), Shu (aka: Shu Han), and Wu (aka: Dong Wu or Eastern Wu). This period is one of the bloodiest in Chinese history, with the constant struggles for power and is one the most talked about periods. It was not a long period, but it is said that millions of people were killed in the wars during this time. Because of the battles and need for new technology, many advances were made in military, warfare strategy, culture, and society. The Three Kingdoms had its impact on society to this day with operas, novels, folk lore, films, television serials, and video games depicting this time. One of the more popular novels in China about this period is called The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Jin Dynasty (est. 265-420 AD/CE). An official of the Wei, Sima Yan (AKA: Shi and later Emperor Wu), overthrew the Shu in 265 AD/CE and giving name to the Jin Dynasty. Then with the overthrow of the Wu in 280 AD/CE China was once again unified, although short lived. It was two phases, the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316 AD/CE) centered in Luoyang and the Eastern Jin Dynasty (316 or 317 – 420 AD/CE) in Jiankang, known as Nanjing today.
Southern and Northern Dynasties (est. 386-589 AD/CE). Again there is overlapping here with the Jin and Sui Dynasties caused by another split of China. The division was the Northern Dynasty (est. 386 – 581 AD/CE) which also saw further division among its eastern and western regions and had five dynasties including Northern Wei (386 – 534), Eastern Wei (534 – 550), Western Wei (535 – 556), Northern Qi (550 – 577), and Northern Zhou (557 – 581). The other division was the Southern Dynasties (420 – 589 AD/CE) made up of four consecutive dynasties – Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen.
Sui Dynasty (est. 581-618 AD/CE). China was once again united. Yang Chien, an official under the Northern Zhou, led the unification. He was one of its two emperors and used the name Emperor Wen Ti. His son became the second in line going by Emperor Yang and was not very popular for his misuse of people and money. They also continued the fortification of what would become the Great Wall. They wanted to expand to the south of which was largely successful, but their attempts to expand to the north four times led to defeat by the Koreans. This led to further splits in China.
T’ang Dynasty (est. 618-907 AD/CE). There is a close relationship between the Tang and Sui Dynasties and can often be confused for some or all of the other’s timelines. The Tang is largely responsible for expanding a judicial code from earlier periods and implementing scales of penalties/punishment. They also implemented plot ownership for peasants and others so that there was equal distribution of land to help support themselves and pay taxes. This also paved the way for more accurate census information. This was the first to have a female empress, Wu Chou (AKA: Zhou), that caused some upheaval of her own over her fifteen years. She insisted that her Dynasty be called Chou and she followed Buddhism. Because of the spelling differentials this period of her rule was also known as the Zhou 2nd Dynasty. After her rule and by the end of the T’ang, poetry started to take another form, in the way of song. Many believe this was the beginning of opera and sung mainly in tea houses that were becoming very popular. However, there were many uprisings by peasants unhappy with conditions set by the later rulers that led to further wars and China was once again divided and led to the Five Dynasty period.
Five Dynasties / Ten Kingdoms (est. 907-960 AD/CE). Ten Kingdoms were independent regions of South China. The Five Dynasties were to the North. This period saw printing developed by using wooden blocks and the first complete printing of the Confucian Classics was published around 953 AD/CE. This opened the door to the printing of books, although limited, enabling the population that could obtain them to become better educated in culture, history, and religion. It also saw the development of translucent porcelain and paper money. Tea became more and more popular as did tea houses and song. Salt was also used more in food. The practice of binding women’s feet was introduced during this period (something supposedly implemented by the Song Dynasty). The Ten Kingdoms were: Later Liang (907-923), Later T’ang (923-936), Later Jin (936-946), Later Han (947-950), Later Zhou (951-960). The 10 Kingdoms were: Wu (902-937), Wuyue (907-978), Min (909-945), Southern Han (917-971), Chu (927-951), Northern Han (951-979), Jingnan (924-953), Former Shu (907-925), Later Shu (935-965), and Southern T’ang (937-975).
Liao Dynasty (est. 907-1123 AD/CE) and the Western Liao (1124-1211). Also known as the Khitan Empire. The Khitan Tribe established the Liao Dynasty and was from what is now modern Inner Mongolia, Mongolia, Manchuria, and perhaps as far north as what would be modern Russia. They were in north China and ran in parallel to the Song Dynasty to the south. By 938, while China was still disunited, the Khitan took control over Sixteen Prefectures, which included modern Beijing. The ruler of the Khitan Abaoji, named himself Khaghan (“Great Khan”) in 907.
Song (Sung) Dynasty: Northern Song/W. Lia (est. 960-1126 AD/CE) and Southern Song /Jin (est. 1126 – 1279). This period saw a new China one of the more advanced in the world. The economy grew and had government issued currency, the government was now run by highly educated officials that had to pass an exam; technology became more advanced in printing, art (especially calligraphy), the use of iron, and in other areas, but perhaps none as strongly as in agriculture. With the advancements made here, the population had its first population explosion and made way for new cities for the citizens to reside. The tax system became stronger and therefore the government became stronger as well. Architecture of homes during this period took a unique twist, if you will, in that it was during this period the Chinese roof was born, with turned up corners. Rice and tea became the dominate food during this period. With all the Song advancements toward modern civilization, and although they were the first to have a standing navy (this is debated though) and the first to use gunpowder, they were not the best at fighting wars. Because of this they were overtaken by what would become the Yaun Dynasty under Kublai Khan.
Yuan Dynasty (est. 1271- 1368 AD/CE). This saw a unification of China. Genghis Khan and his armies conquered and ruled most of the known world by the late 13th and early 14th century, including China. The Song were overthrown quickly and the Yuan Dynasty was established under Genghis Khan’s grandson Kublai Khan. They reopened and expanded trade routes that linked China, Central Asia, and the Mediterranean. It is said that Marco Polo spent seventeen years exploring this area under the Yuan, and was amazed at all the advances unheard of in Italy, but many say it was because of the Song Dynasty that these advances were made. This was only the second time in China’s history that a dynasty was not ruled by the Chinese, the other was the Liao Dynasty. All Chinese were thrown out of government office and replaced with Mongols and foreigners. The Chinese at this point became more involved in the culture. Opera and theatre expanded during this period because of it. While the culture itself grew, the Yuan Dynasty’s policies with trying to takeover Japan, unsuccessfully, destroyed many ships and men. Along with excessive spending and trade restrictions, the frustration by the Chinese no longer in power with constant uprisings, ultimately led to the Yuan downfall. Having left China in less than 100 years totally impoverished, the Mongols no longer had a will to rule China.
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD/CE). The Ming dynasty was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, a Han Chinese peasant and former Buddhist monk that led the rebel attacks. After the devastation left by the Yuan Dynasty, now under Chinese rule again, this period saw tremendous growth and prosperity in the early and mid Ming period. Trade opened back up and the middle classes became more powerful. The largest ships were built during this period for domestic use and for export. The governmental systems returned to normal and the goal was to put people to work on jobs and expand the economy and therefore rebuild the government’s treasury. The Ming moved its capital from Nanjing to Beijing. In the fifth year of the Ming Dynasty and under Emperor Yung Lo the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, they began the famous Forbidden City near Tiananmen Square that was completed was in 1420. The Ming and Qing Dynasties would govern and live there as their Imperial Palace until the last emperor in 1911. The Ming Dynasty also completed the Great Wall of China that was steadily making progress throughout the dynasties. With superior workmanship and materials for its portion and the entire span of the Wall, it became the largest fortress on earth. They completed it for look out posts and protection against the reorganized Mongols and Manchus that were launching attacks during the latter stages of the period.
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD/CE). The Ming state fell, regardless of the Great Wall, because its power was crumbling and low on money in 1644. As usual a weak dynasty was taken over by superior warriors, this time by a semi-nomadic people from northeast called the Manchus, establishing what would be the last dynasty, the Qing. The Manchus expanded their rule and absorbed new territories in Tibet, Central Asia, and Siberia. Many of the emperors allowed Chinese cultural traditions to continue and became a leading patron in the arts. The Qing brought political stability and economic prosperity back to China for more than two centuries. Prior to its end, the Qing Dynasty had as its empress, Dowager Cixi (1834-1908), a former concubine. She looked at needed reforms as a threat to the empire. This left China poorly equipped to handle western powers that refused to enter into any relations with China. Civil unrest began as poverty increased as did resentment for the empire. Civil unrest emerged in the middle of the 19th century with over four major rebellions consisting of over 1,100,000 men and women fighting. This then led to the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. The Boxers were anti-foreign and anti-Christian of which were making inroads in China. The Boxers waged war on the west and with the combined force of the British, French, US, Japanese, and Russian troops of nearly 20,000 defeated the Boxers and took over (occupied) Beijing. The Empress Dowager Cixi fled China shortly after this and other turmoil.
After nearly 300 years of rule under the Qing, “The Last Emperor” age three, succeeded to the throne. His name was known as Puyi. He was forced to abdicate in 1912 and was held in the Forbidden City, with his family that did not flee, until 1924.
Modern China
China became the Republic of China in 1912 to 1949 becoming communist under the People’s Republic of China in 1949 to present day. Taiwan is still under the Republic of China since in 1945.
China started to rethink its view of communism with Mao’s successors with leaders that have in large part focused on market driven economic development and its output has increased to quadruple in size. The population has also seen changes in lifestyle and living standards. Political control is still tight and secretive, but the population has seen some personal choice expanded. The government has also expanded its global outreach and participates in international affairs and organizations. Hong Kong for one remains not only a top tourist hub, but also a major financial center for international business and finance. Direct foreign investment to China rose to nearly $108 billion in 2008, increased foreign trade, opened a stock exchange, and implemented fiscal decentralization. Its GDP was estimated at $8.789 trillion in 2009, making it the third largest in the world. Coal, iron ore, petroleum, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, natural gas, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world’s largest) are its natural resources. It also has the highest point on earth, Mount Everest at 8,850 m. As of 2009, it has the highest population anywhere at 1,338,612,968 people, but nonetheless with its one child rule, the population of China is decreasing over prior years. Median age is 34.1 and the languages are: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages.
China is officially Atheist, but does have 3%-4% Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian and 1%-2% Muslim. It has become a tourist haven, especially for westerners that are allowed more freedom of movement within the country with less travel restrictions. China is always changing and their policies are either loved or hated by other countries and other issues such as human rights, personal freedom, Taiwan, Korea, Tibet, the form of government, right to protest, freedom of the press, and many other matters are subject to debate, but not in this article. The people of China are great, they are wonderful and friendly and are the same as any other people regardless of how one views the policies of their government.
Shanghai
The Oriental Pearl Tower on the Huangpu River in Shanghai
The race will be held in Shanghai so here is a bit of background on this great city. What began as a fishing village back in the 11th century has turned into China’s largest city with an estimated 20 million citizens. It was known for its cotton in the mid 18th century. After the Opium Wars, foreign trade opened up and visitors came in droves to Shanghai, among them the Americans, British, and French and were allowed to live in China without being under its control. Shanghai was the multinational center for business in the 1930′s before Communism came to power. It was fashionable, elite, and a cosmopolitan city more in step with Paris than typical Chinese culture elsewhere and was the most modern city in China at the time. It became one of its most important port cities with the largest banking and trading firms centered there, along the Bund. The Bund was and still is, for most part, the center of Shanghai’s commerce and government. On the west side of the Bund are 52 buildings of various architectural periods including Gothic, Baroque, Classicism, Romanesque, and Renaissance and is one reason it is such a popular tourist attraction. The Bund sits along the waterfront of the city at the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek. For a peek into Old Shanghai, the former French Concession area with quaint tree lined streets with residences, shops, cafes, and many restaurants away from crowds in central Shanghai. Shanghai is not lacking in high fashion either in the Huaihai Lu, Changle Lu, and Xinle Lu areas. Nanjing Road is considered Shanghai’s Fifth Avenue with its boutiques and at night it becomes a fast paced and neon lit with fine restaurants and late night discos and other nightlife.
World class restaurants, nightlife, clubs, cafes, sports, museums, concerts, ballet, opera, the symphony, festivals are throughout Shanghai and is one reason it is very popular for tourists and natives alike. It is still the largest center of commerce and investment in China. It boasts the tallest hotel, the Park Hyatt, sitting on top of floors 79-93 of the 101 story Shanghai World Financial Center in the heart of the Lujiazui business district.
Shanghai expects more than 70 million visitors when it plays host to the World Expo 2010 from May 1, 2010 – October 31, 2010, that will no doubt pump millions of dollars into their economy. China welcomes visitors from throughout the world and is less restrictive than it was under Mao. People are fairly free to move about and travel within China.
The Food and Wine
The Wine
Wine Bars in China
The wine industry in China for years has always been traditionally rice wine with the finest produced in the city of Shaoxing in eastern Zhejiang province. Plum wine is also popular. However, the wine industry is changing and rapidly thanks to China’s new affluent class (yes, you heard it right – in a communist country!). This quest for the finer things that money can buy has opened up China’s thirst with perfecting grape wine and expensive grape wine at that.
Wine dates back 9,000 years in China. In 2004, an archaeochemist from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology found residue of wine that was 9,000-years old in pottery jars in Northern China. It consisted of rice, beeswax and a fruit that was probably grape – talk about vintage wine! China is so into wine that wine museums are popping up throughout the provinces. The newest one opened this month and is the biggest wine museum so far in Qingdao of east China’s Shandong province and offers wine tastings from the various wineries under one roof.
China actually ranks tenth in wine production in the world and has over 300 wineries, but in my opinion and others, it still has not made a wine that can compete on the world stage – yet. That should change as many of these wineries are investing heavily in modern and imported technology to keep up with demand and to perfect their product. There are some producers that make very good wine and it is more in the French style, but it is hard to classify it a Chinese wine when most of the grapes are imported. Also some well established wineries that only catered to the wealthy do make a good marketable wine, but because this class of consumer was the minority in the past, they paid over $100 US for that privilege. Even though there is an increasing affluent market, many are the new middle class and could find that pricing a bit steep. So, like many other wine producing countries China must find that balance of a great wine at a fair price for the majority of consumers.
The industry is quickly learning from successful wine producing countries on what they must do and that is market their product, but they must also have a marketable product to be successful. As the French were the first to import their wines to China, you will find a lot of it in most urban areas. However, in 2008 the US exported over $1 billion in wine to China, with 90% of that coming from California. Wine tastings are opening up everywhere, especially in the wealthier and urban areas and wine tours are popping up for tourists as well as for the Chinese. Hotels, restaurants, and clubs are all doing there part in offering the better domestic wines along with the imports. The local shops however, are still lacking in their selections for the better domestic wines. It is estimated that this market for wine is so strong, that by 2011 the Chinese will consume more than one billion bottles of wine a year which is more than double from 2007. Considering the size of their population that is still impressive. The better Chinese wineries and the oldest are starting to show up on some American retailer’s shelves, but it is still new and has to overcome its past image for the American market to take a risk and try. Once word gets out that the wines produced are good, and if they really are, the wines will do very well.
Rice wine. In China it is often referred to as Yellow Wine. Although many think all rice wine is Sake, it is not. For one Sake is Japanese with a slightly different taste and has a limited lifespan of less than 18 months. Chinese rice wine gets better with age and is not uncommon to see it sold in stores up to 100 years old or more. The color of Chinese rice wine is also a bit different in that it takes on a beige or reddish brown tone. Just like other wine, it has varying quality and the aged/vintage rice wine is not what you would use in cooking!
Shanghai will host the Shanghai Wine and Spirits Show from June 9-11, 2010. This gives some idea that they are in it for the long term.
The Food
Shanghai Crab
Shanghai has an international reputation for fine dining and excellent cuisine. It is also filled with street fare that is readily available day or night.
Chinese cuisine varies from region to region and each area has unique dishes. In Shanghai, the food makes use of soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and rice vinegar more than in any other region and they also a tend to slow cook their food more, but certainly is not the only cooking method. People of Shanghai tend eat in smaller portions than most of China’s regions, but they love sweets more than any other region too. Sugar is used frequently in cooking and they like to use wine in some foods often dishes with the name “drunken” in them. There is also “red cooking” a form of stewing or braising in a mixture of ingredients that give the food a slight red color.
Food from Shanghai is often called Hu Cai. There are two styles Benbang Cuisine and Haipai Cuisine.
Benbang Cuisine is traditional and makes use of fresh chicken, pork, fish meat, and various vegetables. It tends to be mellow and flavorful in taste with sauces cooked in soybean and oil (often sesame).
Haipai Cuisine is more cosmopolitan in that it has its roots in the more sophisticated lifestyle of Shanghai from after the Qing Dynasty. It includes cuisine from other areas of China as well and uses fresh crab, shrimp, and other fish as ingredients predominately.
Food from Shanghai is rarely overly spicy or hot. It tends to be mild and with various cooking methods of steaming, braising, roasting, stewing, stir-frying, quick-frying, deep-frying, boiling, marinating, and smoking. It is important to note that there are few dishes that Shanghai can call its own as it is fairly young and instead uses base dishes from elsewhere and make them uniquely theirs by cooking method and different ingredients. As mentioned in other articles, all dishes provided are basic but can vary per chef or preference.
Some dishes you will find in Shanghai:
Xia Zi Da Wu Shen. This has to be the most famous seafood dish in Shanghai. It is dried sea cucumber immersed in water and then stewed with oil, wine, soybean sauce, shrimp roe, broth, sugar, shallot, and starch.
Shanghai Crabs. These are usually served steamed or in wine sauce. These crabs are blue-grey in color and are distinguished by hairy bristly legs.
Ba Bao La Jiang. It is a Benbang dish made of bean and chili sauce then blended and stir-fried with shelled shrimps, chicken, chicken stock, pork, dried small shrimps, bamboo shoots, and various kinds of seasoning.
You Bao He Xia. Live shrimps deep-fried and then sir-fried with a special sauce made of rice wine (or other per preference), soybean sauce, sugar, shallot and ginger sauce.
Yan Du Xian is a wonderful stew. Pork that is steamed and then stewed in a soup with fresh bamboo shoots.
Qing Chao Shan Hu (Xiang You Shan Hu). Fresh eels stir-fried with bamboo shoots, rice wine, soybean sauce, ginger, sugar and starch sauce. After being put on a plate, chopped shallot is sprinkled on the dish and hot oil is poured onto it and makes crackling sounds when it is served
Da Zha Xie. A Mitten crab placed in bamboo containers and steamed.
Xiao Long Bao. A steamed bun filled with pork, minced crab or sometimes chicken and soup. They are steamed in bamboo baskets and served with vinegar or shredded ginger. I have also seen soy sauce used as a dip and vegetables instead of a meat or crab.
The Huxinting Teahouse
Shanghai Mooncakes. These are usually special occasion cakes. They are a rounded pastry filled with custard or pudding of various flavors. The pastry can be various colors with or without designs on them.
Tea. Tea houses are a favorite for tea, but most have snacks and sweets to go with it. Most have music, live or recorded, in the background. The Chinese love their tea and so does the world. There are over 3,000 tea houses operating in Shanghai with the oldest being The Mid-Lake Pavilion Teahouse (Huxinting Tea House). It is huge and is now in the middle of an artificial lake in the Yuyuan Gardens. It was originally built in 1784 in the Qing Dynasty, but did not become a teahouse until 1855. Most teahouses offer traditional classic music, while others offer other types of music. Most teahouses offer traditional tea service while others are more westernized and sold by the cup.
Below you will find a few videos on China and Shanghai:
Next Up: Spanish Grand Prix, May 9, 2010.
Cheers then Enjoy!
Footnote/Disclaimer (love these!): To supplement this article, if you have a thirst for more, there is plenty out there. If and when there is a good unbiased and reputable site that does not charge you access and can supplement information, I will provide it. I am not a historian and history can be distorted at times, as it is based on what is “known” to man and even then exact dates and eras can be subject to debate among scholars, as usual. There is debate as to exact timelines when the Stone Age and some dynasties actually began and when they ended in China. The timelines I have used are of the majority opinion, but this does not make them exact and I am providing just my opinion. Because of China’s history of wars, divisions, and other events written as facts some are still questioned. There are even conflicts of dates and some events between government and cultural sources. After the Neolithic era, written history was first recorded under the Shang Dynasty and as in any history written, there is always a chance that it was written one sided or difficult to tell fact from fiction. The timelines and names for the main Dynasties of China are based on my interpretation of the facts. I have provided a brief on each period only as a reference point, not a history lesson. China has seen many overlapping and conflicting periods, events, and other information, in other words this article is not to be used for a history exam! If the period was too complex to cover even as a brief, then only some basic information is provided. Also, the names and/or spelling of the dynasties, regions, cities, emperors, and others can be different depending on region, birth names, and other things such as emperors were often given other names after death. I would recommend you seek further information on China’s vast history from universities, curators, government agencies, encyclopedias, and other sources you trust for information. China itself is a closed society in that under communist rule, they limit and control their media and information streams making it difficult to obtain any information that would normally be made available in other countries.
To confuse matters more: (per the US State Department Website) on January 1, 1979, the Chinese Government officially adopted the pinyin system for spelling Chinese names and places in Roman letters. A system of Romanization invented by the Chinese, pinyin has long been widely used in China on street and commercial signs as well as in elementary Chinese textbooks as an aid in learning Chinese characters. Variations of pinyin also are used as the written forms of several minority languages. Pinyin has now replaced other conventional spellings in China’s English-language publications. The U.S. Government also has adopted the pinyin system for all names and places in China. For example, the capital of China is now spelled “Beijing” rather than “Peking.”
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