April 9, 2019,  Shanghai fog delay,  Hilarious Sign Translations,   88/183     -

April 8,  2019,   Sea Day,  87/183

Mensa:    Merrilynne impressed me when she solved this question relatively quickly.  She is a great resource with her uncanny word logic talent while I struggle through math challenges on the five question quizzes each day.

Fill in each blank with a word that fits the definition on the left when read normally and fits the definition on the right when read backwards.

                                                          To fight _________ Knocks
                                                           Frost ___________ A ruler
                                                           Put forth ________ The fourth dimension
Email your answers to us!

9:00 AM - Oh Oh, scheduled to dock at 5:00 PM today, but we are anchored in the Yellow Sea, waiting for clearance a hundred miles off the mouth of the Yangtze River.  Once again, heavy "Chinese" fog had brought all ocean traffic to a standstill, by order of the harbour master. This raises the spectre of a port cancellation here, like last year, which will be a special problem for those passengers who took a land tour from Tianjin with re-boarding scheduled for Shanghai.  May not see them again until Hong Kong, with lighter pocket books!

8:30 PM - Shanghai harbour master clears vessel to proceed.  Must have been a hundred ships waiting in the area.  Missed our evening on the Bund, now due to dock at 5:00 AM.

Strangest phenomena, the fog just lifted in minutes!  Ship lurking in the distance.

Have included humorous photos ( From lecture material), of inaccurate sign translations.  Forgive me for some of the more risque ones, please!

China's 2000 year monarchy ended in the early 1900s when Chieng Kai-shek gained power. Mao tse Tung was a principle in the organization of the communist party in 1921 with resulting power struggles with Kai-shex over the next decades. Japan complicated the situation with their 1931 invasion  and occupation until 1945.  

General George Marshall attempted to negotiate an agreement between the Nationalists and Communists in 1946, without success.  Turbulence followed with the Communists gaining power over all China in 1949, as Chieng Kai-shek and his followers escaped to Formosa (Taiwan) 

Political and cultural upheaval continued with various leaders, national associations and economic development to this day.  Deng Xiao Ping ruled from late 1970s until 1997, where he abandoned many communist doctrines and incorporated elements of free enterprise into their economy.  Following are a few annotated photos which should provide a brief  historical overview.

Personal incomes doubled between 1978 and 1984.

Deng said to be rich is glorious!

China's economy has grown at an average of 9% since 1980, resulting in an ecomony about 32 times larger..

Communists win, 1949

Russian advisers helped China rebuild, as Mao and Stalin were buddies.

Hundreds of thousands of land owners were executed for owning maybe an acre.  60% of the peasants were given small parcels of land.

China finally decided to help Korea

Stalin is dead, Mao doesn't like Khrushchev, Chinese-Russian relationship begins to crumble, much to the relief of the West.

Deng was persecuted and exiled for 7 years, but came back to prominence in late 1970s

Deng Xiaoping, great reformer!

  

Sino-Soviet undeclared war -1969

Included Mao's wife.  All were charged with serious crimes after the cultural revolution.  1966 - 76

 Nixon's 1972 historic visit

Modern China

Projected growth.  

Average GNP  increase of 9% for about 40 years.  Using rule of 72, China's economy increased by 

32 times.

New style of exercise practised here, walking on all fours, Hand Walking.