The Drum Beats in Shanghai, China!
China: The old and new
Photo by Daaim Shabazz.
Ni Hao! (means “hello” in Chinese) I’m in Shanghai now. 😎 We’re 14 13 hours ahead of EST time. I am here as part of a university delegation, but I will certainly look out for chess. I’m going to Shanghai University and I believe either Bu Xianghzi or Wang Yue goes there. I believe Beijing is where the national team trains. I’ll be in Beijing for three days. If anyone has a contact, let me know! Thanks!!
I had a hard time getting onto The Chess Drum and I thought the site was blocked in China, but I am going through a proxy server. We’re in a nice hotel… the Hua Ting Hotel and Towers in downtown Shanghai. Three of us went for a walk last night and the more countries I go to, the more the large cities begin to look alike. That is globalization.
I’ll add some pictures perhaps.
My “globetrotting” brother. As they say in Jamaica “when I grow up I’d wanna be like you”! Have fun, enjoy and take care. Get some chess in (even some blitz) and do as much as possible to expose our Chinese frinds to the incessant beating DRUM!
Hey, Daaim! I’m glad to hear that you are enjoying your time amongst the Chinese folks! I have noticed for years how sharp and industrious the Chinese people are: At least the acedemic types that I’ve met in university and my technical work life! I am a bit concerned about what I’m hearing from the media which shows how the Chinese are becoming influenced by some of the negative trappings they have gotten from exposure to the West! Of course, I’m speaking of smoking; intoxicants; and materialism, just to name a few things. I heard that the government sponsors the tobacco industry over there, and that many, many millions of people are hooked on tobacco! Have you seen any evidence during your stay there that any of the latter is true? Anyway, thanks so much for keeping us posted as to your travels in the great land of China! Blessings to you and safe journey home!
Daaim,
Nuff rispeck for the kind comments re the book. The next edition will be better!!
Keep well in your travels. Mi know seh dat yuh ah tek een di Chinese beauties!
At the Bled Olympiad in 2002 I chatted a bit with the great French GM Joel Lautier who is also of Japanese origin. He told me how impressed he was with Shogi and that the greatest Shogi player ever (can’t recall if it is the person u named-Yoshiru Habu- but there can’t be many Garry Kasparovs of Shogi!) was also a strong chess player (at least solid IM strength). I think that he might even have got a couple of GM norms.
JAMAICA NICE MAN! You must come the next few months. Mek wi tun de place upside down!
Planning some serious stuff and will send u some details soon. I’d love to have a lot of the brothers (including Amon) over in addition to some of our European friends. Chess going to set the place alight!
More Fyah!
More time.
Ian 😆 😆
Daaim,
Well, McDonald’s does seem to be everywhere, indeed! Did you happen to see what was on the menu in that Chinese Mickey Dee’s? I was just wondering how different (and maybe healthier?) the Mickey Dee’s food is in china…
Cheers,
ETJ ❓
Hi Daaim,
Keep the drum beating man!
Interestingly, I want to point out that I am a xiangqi player myself; a classmate from Hong Kong bought me a set and taught me the game while I was in Cambridge. I play online sometime and make claim to being the strongest xiangqi player of african descent! 😀
Thanks for the excellent photos, dude! I presume you used the same digital unit you had at the 2007 World Open? BTW, are you using this trip as the basis and or data gathering for any research that you’re doing? If so, are you going to publish something for academia? Also, I was wondering how popular are the great Chinese grandmasters? I mean, do the common people seem to know who they are, and how well the Chinese players do in foreign tournaments? Another Western game that seems to be BIG in china is pocket billiards (pool!) Have you seen any evidence of pool playing in China, and or heard any clamoring amongst the common people about their excellent pool players? Keep the beat going…!
Greeting Daaim Shabbazz or Ni Hao Ma wo de pengyou. Which means How are you my friend. I call you my friend because it is because of you that I learned about Darrian Robinson and more details than I would have known about Medina Parilla. I met Medina’s mother and she speaks very highly of you. Also the articles about Emory Tate and Walter Harris are extremely enjoyable.Why do I write this letter..well last year I began to learn Mandarin and I planned to visit China for my birthday. However the trip did not materialize and I became a little disillusioned with visiting China because of their humans right record and other issues. I do continue to study Mandarin on my own and your trip ignites my desire to visit the East again. I thank you for the seeds that you continue to sow with your web-site. Perhaps we will meet one day.
Ni Hao! Well thanks for sharing your thoughts. I am with you on both counts. China awaits me. 😉 Enjoy the rest of your trip.
Daaim, these shots are amazing! Your camera and eye do these shots justice. I can’t believe we were in the same place and time! Now I’ll have to go to photography school!
Those are amazing shots…I envy you in a positive way!! Much love and thanks for sharing…
-Adisa
You da man Daaim ! Love the pics. Thanks for giving us a “education from your eyes” of China and your experience. You probably walked by some very strong players since there are sooooo many people there. Take care and once again thanks……………………….
Hey Cuz,
These are beautiful shots of China!!! Wow!! The architecture in Shanghai is stunning! Totally amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. What an exciting experience this must have been!! Wish I was there too!! Oh… and you look so handsome! 😆
I’m also in China looking for Chess. I’ve gone two weeks trying to find information and finally came up with this. Chinesse chess federation number (86-10) 67 102 301 and they gave me the cel phone for a famous Shanghai trainer, called Mr Li, that is 1-31-621-877-11, I have not been able to reach him, but I intend to play chess during my stay in China. Greeting from China, from a Mexican player.
Hi, those are some nice pictures. i’m planning on going to Hong Kong Univ. in Jan of 09. I’ve never been to China. How was it there? are the people nice to foreigners? Do they have masjids close to the university?
Thanks you