Thanks for sharing. I overlooked this on the NYT website. Phenomenal photojournalism.

September 11, 2012 @ 9:43 am | Comment

On the issue of Diaoyu Island, my position is simple:

China should aim for a war with Japan, the earlier the better, the bigger the better, preferably nuclear.

The goal is the elimination of 30-40% of the Japanese population, and make the island unsuitable for human habitation for the next 120 years or so.

September 11, 2012 @ 11:28 am | Comment

Whats this? The shock and awe approach to FQ posting.

Greetings Earthlings.

September 11, 2012 @ 12:07 pm | Comment

@Clock – Where’s Math?

September 11, 2012 @ 12:50 pm | Comment

[…] The Peking Duck) /* Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Share on Facebook share via Reddit Share with […]

September 11, 2012 @ 1:20 pm | Pingback

FOARP, maybe Math is hiding out with Xi Jinping.

September 11, 2012 @ 1:34 pm | Comment

On Xi Jinping,

I have a really bad back; I slipped a couple of disks years ago. But even when it’s really bad, with enough painkillers, the pain goes, and I can get on with my life like normal. Professional athletes do this all the time. So I seriously doubt he has just a bad back.
But how can the future leader of China just dissappear for a week without anyone in China or outside know where he is? This just shows, as I’ve said before, that nobody understands the Chinese government. The lack of transparency just adds to mistrust and speculation, both within China and outside.

September 11, 2012 @ 3:01 pm | Comment

I wouldn’t use the word “awesome”.

Terrifying or sickening, maybe.

September 11, 2012 @ 3:04 pm | Comment

What the photos depict is vile. The photography itself is awesome.

September 11, 2012 @ 3:08 pm | Comment

Terrible period of history. Powerful photos. Thankfully the communist party is here today to ensure this kind of thing never happens again.

September 11, 2012 @ 4:43 pm | Comment

Go and check out ‘Old Men Beat Anti-Mao Rightist On The Anniversary Of The Chairman’s Death’ at Beijing Cream.

These guys are of the CR generation. Old habits…

September 11, 2012 @ 5:10 pm | Comment

@Xilin – RE: Back. Ditto. Came out of the blue three years ago when my back suddenly seized up after a walk in the hills in Taiwan, and then healed, but never all the way. Couple of slipped disks popped up this year but it’s never kept me away from work. Sciatica’s a bitch though. Doc says resting three months should cure it – but then he said that three months ago.

But I have to disagree about the politburo – we may not know what they’re doing, but there’s not much mystery as to how a dictatorship works in general terms.

September 11, 2012 @ 7:09 pm | Comment

Gil, I’ve never met anybody that has been healed completely of back pain. I find swimming is the best thing.

RE: Politburo. I agree. That’s what I meant. In general, you know what the plan is (hold on to power), but nobody knows about the inner-workings.

Things like the Xi Jinping ‘disappearance’ just show how bad they are at PR (domestic and foreign). If he has a bad back, just say so. Not saying anything just adds to rumour-mongering.

September 11, 2012 @ 7:31 pm | Comment

@Xilin – Yeah, back trouble runs in my family but I somehow never thought it would happen to me. Brings me down when I think about being stuck with it, but it could be worse – a mate of mine has recurrent attacks of gout.

As for the politburo, well, we’ve been assuming Hu and Wen actually want to give up power, but this is not guaranteed. In any ordinary political system, leadership only changes when there is an actual need for this to happen – is such a need felt by the CCP now? Is this need met by Xi/Li? Who was it who decided people would only serve ten years? How would people respond if Hu/Wen stayed? Are they happy about Xi/Li?

Actually I reminded of the Labour party in the late Blair era. The Labour party wanted to be rid of Blair because he had become unpopular, and much in the way of maneouvrings ensued with the suspicion being that Blair might try to stay on. Brown’s people were adamant that it was ‘their turn’, but in the end, of course, Brown was actually much less popular than Blair.

September 11, 2012 @ 8:25 pm | Comment

I may be wrong, of course, but I have no doubt that Xi will become party chairman in October. A much more likely explanation than the ones speculated about so far is that he choked on a pretzel (or was beaten up by his wife) and looks too funny to appear in public at the moment.

September 11, 2012 @ 9:19 pm | Comment

Sorry – that was politically incorrect. Xi possibly choked on a mantou.

September 11, 2012 @ 9:23 pm | Comment

@JR – Cultural imperialism through breaded goods. You should be ashamed. That being said, I think mantou are far too soft to choke on.

@Gil – You’re right, we assume so much when we just don’t know what is going to happen. Anything’s possible.

September 11, 2012 @ 11:57 pm | Comment

OK. That leaves only one explanation then.

September 12, 2012 @ 4:03 am | Comment

The book that these pictures are from has been around a few years now. I’m sure you can find it on Amazon.com

September 12, 2012 @ 8:20 pm | Comment

Yes, I own the book. I had never seen them displayed for free online before.

September 13, 2012 @ 12:24 am | Comment

Photo 7.
Two lowers. Going to be shot. Make my heart bleed.
Guard tryomg to separate them. Make my blood boil

September 16, 2012 @ 5:48 am | Comment

“Ceterum autem censeo Carthaginem delendam esse”

September 16, 2012 @ 5:54 am | Comment