Chinese Jade Cabbage in Taiwan

Trinkets at the National Palace should all be Made in Taiwan

  • Yes
  • No
  • Impossible in a Free Economy

0 voters

[quote]http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/04/04/2003440217

Reproductions of the National Palace Museum’s famed Jadeite Cabbage with Insects have been put back on museum store shelves after being relabeled to “better reflect the truth,” a museum official said yesterday.[/quote]
Sinophobes have been making quite a stir at the National Palace Museum in recent days over the “Made in China” trinkets (the souvenir; not the artifacts) sold there.

Some of the famed Jadeite Cabbage trinkets seemed to have been massed produced in China. The actual Jadeite Cabbage was also manufacturered in China. (oh the irony)

Sinophobes came out in number to smash the tickets in protest saying the ROC should protect jobs in Taiwan by not importing made in China trinkets. Museum staff have relabeled the trickets to say “Designed in Taiwan.” But does that reflect reality since the original was designed in China a few hundred years ago.

Mainland tourist don’t really seem to care they are buying “Made in China” trinkets in Taiwan. Mainland Chinese tourist go to Europe to buy made in China trinkets, no one sees the French smashing “Made in China” Effel Tower minitures in protest.

Are the Nativist in Taiwan, taking their Sinophobia too far? Especially at the National Palace Musuem where all the artifacts were liberated from China by the KMT half a century ago.

[quote=“ac_dropout”]Sinophobes have been making quite a stir at the National Palace Museum in recent days over the “Made in China” trinkets (the souvenir; not the artifacts) sold there.
Some of the famed Jadeite Cabbage trinkets seemed to have been massed produced in China. The actual Jadeite Cabbage was also manufacturered in China. (oh the irony)
Sinophobes came out in number to smash the tickets in protest saying the ROC should protect jobs in Taiwan by not importing made in China trinkets. Museum staff have relabeled the trickets to say “Designed in Taiwan.” But does that reflect reality since the original was designed in China a few hundred years ago.
Are the Nativist in Taiwan, taking their Sinophobia too far? Especially at the National Palace Musuem where all the artifacts were liberated from China by the KMT half a century ago.[/quote]That’s ridiculous - but in reality it’s just a handful of idiots trying to get some publicity. I suppose there’s no hope of opening a Wal Mart in Taiwan if Made in China goods are to be boycotted. The problem is that nobody in Taiwan wants to get into the trinket manufacturing business - for obvious reasons. Just goes to show, though, how much unnecessary junk people want to buy but are unwilling to pay much money for. Well, everyone can do what they want with their money - but don’t complain about trade imbalances, etc…

[quote]Mainland tourist don’t really seem to care they are buying “Made in China” trinkets in Taiwan. Mainland Chinese tourist go to Europe to buy made in China trinkets, no one sees the French smashing “Made in China” Effel Tower minitures in protest.

Are the Nativist in Taiwan, taking their Sinophobia too far? Especially at the National Palace Musuem where all the artifacts were liberated from China by the KMT half a century ago.
[/quote]
Of course they’re taking it too far – they’re extremists. They’re are daft as their opposite numbers on the other side of the extremist fence. Such people are generally regarded by the rest of us as brainwashed retards.

Smashing things is fun. Hatred of the threatening communist bullies next door is well deserved. The two go quite well together, no?

The 2 ironies I found in the incidents:

  1. The originals came from China and some Greens feel these Chinese artifacts should be returned to China in the great desinification movement. But now that these artifacts have value in attracting mainland tourist, they are the “Treasures of Taiwan.”

  2. The college kid that smashed the “Made In China” trinkets would never take a factory job. In fact, I don’t know of many Taiwanese that would take a low pay factory job anymore. So whose job is he trying to protect? The non-existant factory jobs that don’t exist in Taiwan anymore?

Regarding buying the stuff:

When I go home, I also find many trinkets made of cheap plastic in China. This is embarrassing for me, because tourists to my country, if they wanted something made in China, they would -and can, for the same price- go to China. Hence, I feel my country’s stores are cheating them. The trinkets are cheap to make but boy, are they expensive and quality is bad, they break apart in your luggage.

Furthermore, I cannot buy those. What’s the fun of bringing back something made in China? What’s the point? I think Chinese tourists to Taiwan feel the same. They buy handsame Aboriginal hats, colorful and unique.

When I go home, I buy hand painted rock frogs, wooden carts, exotic wood trinkets. There is not much difference in price, but the idea is that I am buying something unique, that people will like here because it will express my appreciation for them. Why, they were stealing each otehr’s stuff because each one I bought was different and for instance, the bosses wanted the smaller items -even though I bought them bigger, more expensive stuff- because they looked cuter.

What I mean is, that for this market segment, the tourists, who have a certain amount of money they have budgeted for these gift items, gibing them “cheapies” made in china is bad business. I was thinking: why don’t they make them out of glass? How about that lovely recycled computer material? This last one is currently made in break-resistant Sung dinasty figurines, both pretty and resilient? With a bit more creativity, they can be a better business revenue. Right now, by selling stuff made in China, most earnings still go abroad.

As to whether the art stuff, such as the cabbage, was originally made in China, and hence, we have nothing to sell as “Taiwan stuff”, well, that is the sad part of being a colony. However, many other places, such as my country, were colonies and still can market their own stuff. That such emphasis is given in marketing only thie aspect -coming to Taiwan to see the Palace museum as the great thing- is the marketing strategy chosen by a government with a certain motivation.

The average Taiwanese resents the overemphasis given in just one aspect of their varied culture, plus the loss of jobs. If the many artisans had a chance to sell their unique hand made stuff to the Chinese tourists -such as independent artists in my country have booths at the airport to sell to tourists- where these tourists go -instead of just big department stores and Palace Museum- I bet those tourist would prefer unique items than the plastic, not creative, cheapies.

[quote=“ac_dropout”]The 2 ironies I found in the incidents:

  1. The originals came from China and some Greens feel these Chinese artifacts should be returned to China in the great desinification movement. But now that these artifacts have value in attracting mainland tourist, they are the “Treasures of Taiwan.”[/quote]

Ironic? I guess so. First a bunch of priceless ancient art is rescued to Taiwan from China where it otherwise would have been destroyed by a bunch of fanatical hoodlums. . .

. . . and now a bunch of fanatical hoodlums in Taiwan are destroying cheap modern replicas that were made in China.

Doesn’t say much for either country, does it? :laughing:

If only the cultural revolution in the mainland, played out like it is in Taiwan. Harmless and extremely entertaining. After the CR in the mainland, and DPP’s year of social revolution both places are still Chinese.

My personal favorite in the collection is the brown jade carved in the shape of pork meat simmered in soy sauce. I would be upset if they went after that piece. Chinese cabbage with bugs on it, they can have… :roflmao:

Hmmm…I always liked that one too.

+1

Personally I think it s great fun to sell Chinese tourists Chinese copies of a Chinese made piece of jade. :laughing: The stuff that’s left back in China just doesn’t compare.

I woudn’t buy those Chinese jade cabbages, too many chemicals.

[quote=“headhonchoII”]I woudn’t buy those Chinese jade cabbages, too many chemicals.[/quote] But without the chemicals you wouldn’t be able to buy 'em so fresh…

[quote=“sandman”]Of course they’re taking it too far – they’re extremists. They’re are daft as their opposite numbers on the other side of the extremist fence. Such people are generally regarded by the rest of us as brainwashed retards.[/quote] :roflmao:
You never know, they might have been your average patrons or art afficianados until the little cabbages triggered some latent genetic trait that caused them to suddenly become extremists. On the other hand, becoming a brainwashed retard is a result of environmental conditioning.

LoL, its just a trinket…but still though its a free ecnomy, and the fact to the matter is, its cheaper there than here.
Why, i just picked up a free key-chain with compass,flash light, and a rape whistle…says made in china
This was handed out by the local police department

[quote=“ac_dropout”]
My personal favorite in the collection is the brown jade carved in the shape of pork meat simmered in soy sauce. I would be upset if they went after that piece. Chinese cabbage with bugs on it, they can have… :roflmao:[/quote]

Whywhywhy did anyone think that would be a nice, decorative piece? Utter decadent, pointless, wasteful completely charm-free ugliness. :laughing:

Well yes. Instead of buying guns the last dynasty commissioned these lovely pieces. Does one really need to wonder why China doesn’t have emporerors any more… :slight_smile:

Reminds me of that story where soldiers were starving on a march, so a famous general said “Make a banner of the character ‘cookie,’ that’ll fill them up.”

Of course, even as they continue to speak Chinese dialects, bear Chinese names, write in Chinese characters, worship Chinese gods, take Chinese medicine, cling to Chinese traditions and eat Chinese food.

Didnt think of it that way before but yes it totally makes sense. That piece of art was conceived and made in China. Its only fitting that the replicas are also made in China. NOw if they were made in Cuba or some such it would make less sense.

Taiwan makers are not heavy in to trinket making anyway. Taiwan mainly makes more value added items nowadays and China does the more mundane AFAIK.

I think most Taiwanese are not denying that their ancestors (well usually the males) came from China and are mostly ethnically Chinese, but they just want to differentiate themselves from other Chinese. Not wanting to consider themselves as the same as the Chinese from China today.

But taken to extremes, like the Korean renaming of Souel from 漢城 to 首爾, many people just find it funny.

I’m sure that college kid bought that trinket before smashing it. Unwittingly supporting the PRC factory that made it… :roflmao:

In a free market if was cheaper to make the trinkets in Cuba, then by all means make them in Cuba. It is just happenstance that the PRC is the cheaper place to make stuff now, to the distress of radical pan-Greens like that college kid.

Everyone understands it has been a difficult year for the pan-Greens, but the issues they are taking a stand on is just hilarious.

It’s a free society, so its good that they can vent to get rid of all that pent up frustration of their lost cause.

Of course, even as they continue to speak Chinese dialects, bear Chinese names, write in Chinese characters, worship Chinese gods, take Chinese medicine, cling to Chinese traditions and eat Chinese food.[/quote]

Let’s give the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada back to the British.

Giving the palace museum loot back the PRC would be fun. I would really like to see how the PRC government would deal with that. :discodance:

Maybe we can trade it for another panda?