Lijia Zhang's Blog, page 29

The Pankhursts

Last week, I went to see Slyvia the musical, inspired by the extraodinary life of suffagattes leader Slyvia Pankhurst. (An amazing production. If you haven’t seen it. Hurry and go!) Last night, I had the pleasure of having Helen Pankhurst, her grand-daughter, over for dinner. Following her family tradition, Dr. H. Pankhurst is also an activist in women’s rights and a writer on the subject. Sent from my iPhone

[image error]

On BBC World Service Radio

I was on the BBC World Service’s Weekend program this Saturday. It’s a news and current affair program, summerising the happenings of the week. It always has two guests who have the chance to comments on the events and talk about their careers and life. I’ve done a few times before and I particularly enjoyed this one as I laughed a lot with the presenter and the fellow guest Andrew Mueller, who is an Australian journalist and writer. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00wf2qw/episodes/player

[image error]

growth of Christianity in China

Here’s an interesting piece about the growth of Christianity and spiritual vacuum in China, in which I am quoted.

https://apnews.com/a2e4a0436fba4146a156daef77885945.

Highgate

I am always fascinated by cemeteries, interesting placex to explore, to get lost and to reflect life and death. A few years ago, I visited Highgate Cemetery in North London, known among the Chinese as the lasting rest place of Karl Max. I failed to join a guided tour then – seriously you have to book months beforehand. Now I’ve finally done the tour and delighted that I’ve done it: under the guide of a knowledgeable guide, you’ll learn the rich history, meaning of the funeral symbols, and the bonus of being taken to the catacombs that are not open to the general public and pay respect to singer Gorge Michael, who was buried next to his mother. (To prevent his fans from doing silly things, he hasn’t even got a tomb stone.) Highgate is regarded as ‘one of England’s greatest treasures’ with fine funerary architecture and a beautiful ground.

[image error]

being quoted in a piece about China’s rising metoo movement

https://qz.com/1265510/china-tried-to-crush-metoo-but-its-making-a-comeback/

my piece on China’s moral decay in today’s SCMP

https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2156626/more-few-flies-rabies-vaccine-scandal-reveals

being quoted in an Economist piece on prostitution in China

https://www.economist.com/china/2018/07/05/in-china-sex-work-is-being-pushed-back-into-the-shadows

Victory to Carrie Gracie

I am thrilled and delighted to see my old friend Carrie’s victory with the BBC over unequal pay. She is going to donate the back pay money to "gender equality charity The Fawcett Society, to set up a fund for women who need legal advice on equal pay claims"; and "Gracie will now take up to six months of unpaid leave at her own request, using the time to write and speak on both China and gender equality."

my interview with Wo Men podcast

https://radiichina.com/wo-men-podcast-lijia-zhang-on-china-changes-and-prostitution/

Procession

Today was the day for the Procession, an event to mark 100 years of women’s voting rights in Briton. The sun shone brilliantly on thousands and thousands of women who took part in the march in London, a Chinese friend Kailan and myself included. We chanted, danced, sang and laughed all the way! The city was ablazed with the Suffregate’s colours: purple, green and white.