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sz-cityplus · 4 years ago

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"Just Shenzhen" Eco-Discovery Route

“正深圳”系列第三条线路——“正深圳·生态”正式发布啦！

As the 3rd route product under “Just Shenzhen”, the Eco-Discovery Route is now officially launched!

9家公益组织共同打造，12个寓教于乐、各具特色的生态点等你发掘，还有超过60种面向公众开放的年度生态教育活动！

Jointly initiated by 9 NGOs, “Just Shenzhen” Eco-Discovery Route contains 12 sites which offer fantastic scenery and inspirational learning experience. The route also introduces over 60 public ecological educational sessions or events scheduled from this July to June 2020!

快和家人、朋友一起去感受绿色之城的魅力吧٩(๑>◡<๑)۶

Start an adventure with family or friends to explore the natural wonders of this green city!

聊起深圳，相关的关键词有很多，比如经济、金融、科技、创新创业、现代、活力......这座平均年龄只有32岁的年轻城市的确是无数创业者和追梦人的乐土，但每天在这座城市穿梭的你，有没有注意到“深圳绿”？

When talking about Shenzhen, you might think of keywords such as economic development, finance, high-tech, entrepreneurship, modernization, vibrant, etc. This city with residents whose average age is 32 has become the dreamland of many entrepreneurs and the young generation. Commuting daily in this bustling city, you may have got used to the fast pace. However, have you ever spent time making a retreat to explore the ecological scenic places of the city?

作为一个建成区绿化覆盖率达到45.1%的“绿色之城”，深圳拥有超过950个花园，城市绿道总长达2400公里，全市绿色建筑总面积超过6000万平方米，“开窗见景，出门入园”是市民的生活常态！

As a “green city” with green space coverage rate of 45.1% in the built-up area, Shenzhen has more than 950 public gardens. The total length of urban greenways reaches 2,400 km. The total area of sustainable architecture in the city is over 60 million square meters. Strolling at park, therefore, is a common leisure for the local residents.

在此，“正深圳 Just Shenzhen”城市体验线路特别从滨海湿地、公园环境、郊野森��、绿色建筑和海岸五个生态系统中挑选了12个最具代表性的地点，带你一起领略“深圳绿”

“Just Shenzhen” Eco-Discovery Route consists of 12 representative sites, each specially chosen by the initiators to help you explore five main eco-systems of Shenzhen: Coastal Wetlands, Public Parks, Mountains & Forests, Sustainable Architecture and Coastlines.

滨海湿地

Coastal Wetlands

“正深圳”系列第三条线路——“正深圳·生态”正式发布啦！

As the 3rd route product under “Just Shenzhen”, the Eco-Discovery Route is now officially launched!

9家公益组织共同打造，12个寓教于乐、各具特色的生态点等你发掘，还有超过60种面向公众开放的年度生态教育活动！

快和家人、朋友一起去感受绿色之城的魅力吧٩(๑>◡<๑)۶

Start an adventure with family or friends to explore the natural wonders of this green city!

原始海岸线 / 自然学校 / 红树林

Seashore / Nature School / Mangroves

位于深圳市腹地，是深圳的“城市之肾”。你可以感受湿地丰富的物种，了解湿地的保护。这里拥有原始红树林，吸引了上百种鸟类，春冬候鸟与你相约湿地，夏季探秘红树林，秋季来一场自然创作之旅！

位置：深圳市南山区白石路与云天路交界处

Located in the city, OCT wetland is the green lung of Shenzhen. Come explore the diverse species here and learn wetland protection; visit mangroves and catch a glimpse of hundreds of migratory birds in spring, venture into the mangroves in summer, and join handwork classes using leaves in autumn.

Location: Near the junction of Baishi Road and Yuntian, Nanshan District, Shenzhen

候鸟 / 弹涂鱼 / 海景

Migratory birds / Mudskipper / Sea view

深圳湾公园以“海岸卫士”红树林和世界级的候鸟栖息地闻名。你可以和成群候鸟相会，偶遇二级保护鸟类黑脸琵鹭；也可以尽看红树林里的潮涨潮落，感受潮间带生物的家园；抑或在多层滨水慢道上散步骑行，于城市和自然之间自由徜徉。

位置：深圳市南山区滨海大道深圳湾公园地铁站D2出口

Shenzhen Bay Park is known as a habitat for migratory birds and for its mangroves. Here you will see thousands of migratory birds, including black-faced spoonbill. You can see creatures in tidal zone.You can also walk or bike on the multiple passages along the shore.

Location: Exit D2, Shenzhen Bay Station, Binhai Boulevard, Nanshan District, Shenzhen

Futian Mangrove Ecological Park

生态修复 / 自然力乐园 / 生态课

Ecological restoration / Outdoor Classroom / Ecological classes

从废弃的码头改建而来，是全国第一例由民间公益机构托管和运营的湿地公园。靠近河流出海口，鱼虾蟹丰富，可以看到会爬树的弹涂鱼和珍稀的黑脸琵鹭。园内有中美联合打造的“自然力乐园”，让宝宝安全走进大自然。

位置：深圳市福田区福荣路和新洲路交汇处

Converted from an abandoned dock, Futian Mangrove Ecological Park is the first city park run by a NPO in China. The bordering estuary provides habitat for fish, shrimp and crab; In this area, you can find mudskipper and black-faced spoonbill. The Outdoor Classroom co-built by Nature Explore Classrooms is an ideal place for pre-school kids to have fun while learning about nature.

Location: Near the junction of Furong Road and Xinzhou Road, Futian District, Shenzhen.

海绵城市 / 荔枝林 / 生态水系

Sponge city / Lychee orchard / Ecological water system

香蜜公园融入海绵城市的理念，园内终年繁花满地，花香四溢。你可以在半空的栈道俯瞰脚下10万平方米的荔枝林，也可以在湖边绿地观察水生植物和昆虫，鸟叫虫鸣唤起你的童年乐趣。

位置：深圳市福田区农园路30号

Honey Park is an example of sponge city with an ecological water system. It is garnished with flowers throughout the year. You can enjoy the view of a 100,000 square meters' lychee orchard or observe aquatic plants and insects by the lake, bringing you fun experiences of childhood.

Location: 30th, Nongyuan Road, Futian District, Shenzhen

Fairy Lake Botanical Garden

植物诺亚方舟 / 苏铁 / 木兰 / 秋海棠

Plant Ark / Cycads / Magnolia / Begonia

仙湖植物园是植物科学研究基地。近1.2万种植物营造出天然氧吧，你可以看到国家一级保护植物桫椤、金茶花等；也可以参观植物专类园，在苏铁、荫生植物和沙漠植物间穿越；还可以在自然的王国里观花赏鸟，与蝶共舞。

位置：深圳市罗湖区莲塘仙湖路160号

Fairy Lake Botanical Garden is a scientific research site. This natural oxygen bar comprises of nearly 12,000 species of plants. You can find China's rare plants like Alsophila spinulosa, Camellia nitidissima, etc. You can meander through cycads, shade plants, cactus and succulent plants. Besides, you can enjoy birds, flowers and butterflies in the kingdom of plants .

Location: 160th, Liantang Xianhu Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen

荷花 / 水鸟 / 落羽杉

Lotus / Waterbirds / Bald cypress

洪湖公园夏有荷花，冬有落羽杉。6月的荷花展上，12万平方米的荷花竞相争艳。石桥水榭让你置身碧波绿叶之中，感受幽香沁脾；这里也是水鸟的天堂，可以和水鸟来一场亲密接触。

位置：深圳市罗湖区文锦北路2023号

Known for lotus in summer and bald cypress in winter, Honghu Park hosts a big lotus festival each June with 120,000 square meters of lotus. Walking by the lakeside, you can immerse yourself in the lotus flagrance. It is also a paradise for waterbirds, where you may have up-close experience with them.

Location: 2023th, Wenjingbei Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen

III

Tanglang Mountain Park

豹猫 / 蝴蝶 / 山野徒步

Asian leopard cat / Butterflies / Trekking

塘朗山郊野公园以山林为主，你能发现国家二级保护植物土沉香、桫椤，也能找到野生哺乳动物的踪迹，例如豹猫、小灵猫、野猪、果子狸等。多条自然步道交通便利，适合登高俯瞰，观赏落日霞光。

位置：深圳市福田区龙珠六路51号

Tanglang Mountain is covered by greens, where you can find rare plants such as Alsophila spinulosa, Aquilaria sinensis, as well as traces of wild mammals such as Asian leopard cat, small Indian civet, and masked palm civet. Several trails will lead you to the peak where you can enjoy a splendid sunset.

Location: 51th, Longzhuliu Road, Futian District, Shenzhen

毛棉杜鹃花 / 溯溪 / 两爬动物

Rhododendron moulmainense / Streams / Amphibians

梧桐山是深圳最高峰。山路途径溪流、瀑布，山中生物丰富多样，夏季在溪涧穿梭，有蝴蝶、蜻蜓、豆娘，水中有原生鱼类、香港瘰螈、蛙鸣萤光，爱户外探险的你不容错过。春季漫山的毛棉杜鹃花灿若云霄，走进山中让人幸福满怀。

位置：深圳市茂仔村137号梧桐山景区西北门

The tallest mountain in Shenzhen, Wutong Mountain greets you with stream, waterfalls, and abundant green. Trekking along the stream, you will meet butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies in the air, and Hong Kong newt and frogs in the water; in spring, the blooming Rhododendron moulmainense flowers all over the mountain will fill you with joy.

Location: 137th, Maozi Village, Shenzhen

国家地质公园 / 地质博物馆 / 吊钟花

Geopark / Geological museum / Fuchsia hybrida

七娘山是古火山喷发作用形成，岩石类型多样。你可以来探寻古火山的遗迹，也可以参观深圳唯一的地质博物馆。这里垂直分布的森林生态系统完整丰富、野趣十足。不妨和家人朋友相约徒步登山。

位置：深圳市大鹏新区地质公园路1号

Qiniang Mountain, formed by volcanic eruption, contains a variety of rock types. You could explore remains of ancient volcanoes, as well as visit the only geographic museum in Shenzhen. The verdant forest nurtures a rich eco-system which makes it perfect for excursions.

Location: 1st, Dizhigongyuan Road, Dapeng New District, Shenzhen

Gangxia 1980 Green Roof

城中村 / 海绵城市 / 绿色屋顶

Urban village / Sponge city / Green roof

城中村农民房改造的日式青年公寓。钢结构屋顶立体空间承载着400多个具有雨水吸纳功能的种植箱，扩展了屋顶绿化空间，还为公寓居民新增了休闲花园，提升了社区环境的宜居性。每周开放时间为周二与周四（14:00-16:00）。

位置：深圳市福田区岗厦村东三坊204号

Gangxia 1980 is a Japanese style youth apartment complex transformed from an old village house. The metal structure on the roof contains 400 planter boxes which collect rainwater. The rooftop serves as a green space for the building’s residents while also improving the overall environment of the neighborhood. It opens on Tuesday and Thursday from 14:00-16:00.

Location: 204th, Dongsanfang, Gangxia Village, Futian District, Shenzhen

Yangmeikeng

潮间带 / 寄居蟹 / 沿海公路

Intertidal zone / Hermit crabs / Coast road

杨梅坑的海岸线享誉深圳，沿海公路移步换景，是单车骑行的极佳目的地。丰富的潮间带可以观察海洋生物，如沙虫、寄居蟹、海葵等。杨梅坑也有可登山溯溪的小径，可以品尝农家新鲜海味的餐厅。

位置：深圳市龙岗区杨梅坑新东路海滨浴场旁

Yangmeikeng coastline is of dazzling beauty, biking along it will bring you radiant views. The intertidal zone is habitat to creatures such as sandworms, hermit crabs and sea anemones. You can also trek along the stream and taste fresh seafood here.

Location: Near Daya Bay, Dakeng Village, Longgang District, Shenzhen

Dongxichong Coastline

徒步海岸线 / 滨海植物 / 回收海漂垃圾

Coast trail / Seashore plants / Ocean waste cleanup

入选《国家地理杂志》中国十大最美丽的徒步路线之一。除了浪花沙滩，还有独特的礁石海岸线，沿途可见露兜树、草海桐等滨海植物；西涌天文台还可以让你瞭望浩瀚星空。

位置：深圳市龙岗区东涌旅游区内东涌沙滩

It is listed as one of the ten most beautiful hiking trails in China by the National Geographic. Besides pristine water and soft beach, you will see rugged rocks and seaside trees. You can also look into stars in the Observatory of Xichong.

Location: Dongchong scenic area, Nan'ao Town, Longgang District, Shenzhen

生态活动日历

Nature Events Calendar

除了12个极具魅力和特点的生态场域外，“正深圳·生态”还整理了线路范围内各点的主要公益生态教育活动，独家收录在地图当中；中外市民可以根据喜好和需求自由选择适当的活动报名参与，亲近自然，创造与城市共生的更多精彩瞬间！

With 12 beautiful and awe-inspiring sites, “Just Shenzhen” Eco-Discovery Route also includes ecological educational sessions or events for several sites. You can choose any one of them to join and have lots of fun (all for free). Hoping to make the most of your stay in Shenzhen? Come and have a leisurely walk to get close to nature and discover the natural vitality of the city!

横跨4区

9个选点

10位主办方

60+场生态教育活动

Across 4 districts of Shenzhen

Covering 9 ecological sites

Provided by 10 organizing partners

Over 60 free ecological educational sessions

#Shenzhen #shenzhencity #china city

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euskadideportes · 6 years ago

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RETABET BILBAO BASKET ARRANCA EL VIERNES SU CALENDARIO DE PARTIDOS DE PRETEMPORADA

RETABET BILBAO BASKET ARRANCA EL VIERNES SU CALENDARIO DE PARTIDOS DE PRETEMPORADA / #Baloncesto #RETAbetBilbaoBasket @CDBILBAOBASKET

(Publicación de la web: http://www.bilbaobasket.biz ).-Tras la primera semana de entrenamientos en El Fango, el equipo comenzará este viernes la dinámica de competición en el emblemático pabellón de la Casilla. La primera piedra de toque del RETAbet Bilbao Basket será el Shenzhen Leopards, un poderoso conjunto de la CBA china con el ex NBA Jared Sullinger como artista principal.

El miércoles 12…

View On WordPress

#Baloncesto #Basket #Basquet #MIB #RETAbet Bilbao Basket

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bcreaycong · 5 years ago

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Air purifier 1 4 substandard! Leopard meters and other brands on the list

Recently, the State Quality Inspection Administration announced the 10 categories with the daily lives of consumers in relation to the national product quality supervision and inspection results, the air purifier products pass rate for 75.4%, that is to say, the sale of each of the four City air purifier, one belonging to the unqualified products.

The sample for the air purifier for the first time national supervision, a total sample of 8 provinces (city) 56 production of 61 batches of products, the total number of enterprises nationwide checks nearly 1/5 production enterprises, the basic coverage of all the well-known brands in the industry. The products were tested for safety index, performance index and electromagnetic compatible index ect. 3 aspect 21 projects.

Video: survey on quality of air cleaner

15 batches of product purification performance is not qualified

The performance index of the consumers are most concerned about, is to detect the air purification ability, test results show that the 14 production of 15 batches of substandard products, substandard products detected in the 24.6%. particle amount of clean air, there are 2 batches of substandard particles accumulation amount of purified 1 batches of unqualified, formaldehyde purification efficiency (effectiveness) of 3 batches of unqualified noise, 5 batches of substandard.

Substandard products and production enterprises are:

Beijing Jing Mei Shi environmental science and Technology Co., Ltd. is the nominal net beauty of the United States Shi mfresh air purifier;

Lang Yi environmental protection technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (manufacturer: Leopard meter information technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.) nominal for the leopard meter air purifier;

Long Yi environmental protection technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (manufacturer: Zhejiang primitive life Electric Appliance Co., Ltd.), the nominal as the original air purifier;

Air cleaner of MITSUBISHI heavy industry air conditioning system (Shanghai) Co., ltd.;

Nominal Shanghai Lifana enterprise development limited for the ion air purifier refinair;

Shanghai SIASUN Electronics Co., Ltd. is a nominal somputon SIASUN SIASUN air purifier;

Morrell appliances (Kunshan) Co., Ltd. is moral nominal Morrell Antarctic wind h03;

Zhejiang Yitian Energy Environmental Technology Co. Ltd. as the nominal air purifier Yusana;

Malata Zhangzhou Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. is a nominal air purifier for Malata;

Guangdong Clean Technology Co., Ltd. is a nominal kbis air health machine.

Safety performance is not up to the existence of risk of electric shock

Air purifier as a kind of household appliances, the safety index is mandatory, according to the national mandatory standards for household appliances to detect.

The spot checks found that the safety performance of substandard products:

Shanghai Qin Zhuo Electronics Co. Ltd. (manufacturer: Shanghai Hao Ze Kang Ford Environmental Technology Co. Ltd.) the nominal haoze novowater air purifier;

Kunshan Xin Yi nominal Motor Technology Co. Ltd. as the thin air purifier sheeraire seats ireland;

Morrell appliances (Kunshan) Co., Ltd. is moral nominal Morrell Antarctic wind H03;

Zhejiang Yitian Energy Environmental Technology Co. Ltd. as the nominal air purifier Yusana;

Guangdong Net Technology Co., Ltd. is the nominal kbis of the air health machine;

Weishimao Ann commercial electronic technology (Zhuhai) Co., Ltd. (manufacturer: Zhongshan city life equipment Technology Co. Ltd.) the nominal yeah should Wyatt air purifier;

Shenzhen City Department of the Qing Dynasty, the nominal for the exchange of clean technology air purifier.

Most product batches compatibility substandard

Most of the families would also have many electrical appliances, so these appliances put together, can coexist peacefully, will not interfere with each other, EMC performance of air purifier is mandatory. The state supervision and inspection results announced, the electromagnetic compatibility is the most unqualified batch tests, including continuous harassment the voltage project has 8 batches of substandard, continuous harassment power projects 4 batches of substandard.

Electromagnetic compatibility substandard products include:

Lang Yi environmental protection technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (manufacturer: Leopard meter information technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.) nominal for the leopard meter air purifier;

Nominal Shanghai Lifana enterprise development limited for the ion air purifier ReFinAIR;

Shanghai SIASUN Electronics Co., Ltd. is a nominal SOMPUTON SIASUN SIASUN air purifier;

Nominal Suzhou beiang for domestic air purifier beiang;

Morrell appliances (Kunshan) Co., Ltd. is MORAL nominal Morrell Antarctic wind H03;

Zhejiang Yitian Energy Environmental Technology Co. Ltd. as the nominal air purifier Yusana;

Guangdong Net Technology Co., Ltd. is the nominal KBIS of the air health machine;

Weishimao Ann commercial electronic technology (Zhuhai) Co., Ltd. (manufacturer: Zhongshan city life equipment Technology Co. Ltd.) the nominal yeah should Wyatt air purifier;

Shenzhen City Department of the Qing Dynasty, the nominal for the exchange of clean technology air purifier.

Select six core indicators for air purifier

The sample of 61 batches of products, 35 batches of products in March 1, 2016 since the implementation of the GB/T 18801-2015 the latest national standard, accounting for the total number of checks the product 57.4%. to the latest national standard does not execute the product, its performance index was determined in accordance with the inspection standards and product quality requirements. The experts express said that enterprises do not implement the new national standard does not mean that the enterprise can reduce the quality of products, in fact, mainstream domestic brands all express enterprises have to implement the new national standard.

In carrying out the inspection work at the same time, in order to guide consumers to purchase, quality inspection departments also carried out detection and comparison of product key performance index, were all random products of particle clean air volume (CADR), formaldehyde (CADR), the amount of clean air purification efficiency of particulate matter (performance), formaldehyde purification efficiency (performance), particulate matter (CCM), the cumulative amount of purified six key performance indicators such as noise detection and single detection value together with the inspection results be announced to the public, and guide consumers to carry out scientific and rational choice of products.

Experts suggest that if consumers choose to air purifier products, priority selection to determine the qualified product. “Since the implementation of the new GB products, on one hand, it is through the quality, on the other hand also shows that the nominal value of sound, not deceive consumers suspected”

Experts suggest that the haze of consumers are concerned about the selection of particulate matter purification capacity is relatively good purifier. You need to see the removal of formaldehyde CADR indicators relatively large purifier.

Source: Air purifier 1 4 substandard! Leopard meters and other brands on the list

#Air Purifier – Release Quality Products To Let Global See

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growinstablog · 5 years ago

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How influencer-approved Wildflower iPhone cases came to dominate Instagram

Butterflies or plaid? Leopard print or flames? Cherries or angels or tie-dye or puppies? These might not be questions you ask yourself most days, but for teen girls everywhere, they can be topics of real concern when you’re about to drop $35 on an iPhone case from Wildflower, a Los Angeles-based company born out of a chance encounter with singer Miley Cyrus.

On Wildflower’s official Instagram page, pictures of teen models, professional and amateur, are interspersed with celebrities, all clutching hold of their iPhones with acrylic nails in endless mirror-selfies.

YouTube is flooded with videos of Wildflower case unboxings, reviews or girls simply talking through their case collections. Meanwhile on Amazon, parents leave reviews, sometimes niggling over the price but ultimately saying their daughters are thrilled with their cases, which are all the rage at school right now.

From middle schoolers to celebrities, a Wildflower case is a status symbol and the perfect Instagram-friendly accessory to be sporting at all times. But don’t let what may sound like a lot of hype lead you to believe their popularity is transient. Wildflower cases are no flash in the pan.

In fact, the company has been growing steadily since 2012, when the Carlson family (mum Michelle, dad Dave and teenagers Devon and Sydney) bumped into Miley Cyrus in an LA restaurant and their lives changed forever.

At the time, Michelle made phone cases by hand for her daughters, which Cyrus spotted when the girls stopped to take a photo with her. She complimented Michelle on the designs and told her she should start selling them. Sydney and Devon gladly handed over the first cases Michelle had made to the first ever Wildflower fan.

Things escalated quickly. On the way home from the restaurant in the car, Devon’s phone started blowing up. Cyrus had tagged her in a tweet with a picture of the cases, and people wanted to know where they could buy them.

“I remember all of us asking, should we create a business because Miley said we should, or should we just pass?” Dave Carlson tells me over the phone from the Wildflower warehouse in LA. Together, they decided to go for it, and from that very first day, they haven’t looked back. They stayed up until 5 a.m. that night to get the Wildflower website up and running, and the orders began rolling in.

At first, the family continued making the cases at home out of fabric, clear plastic shells and decorative studs. They roped in friends and family to help, but it quickly got to the point where their “fingers were literally cracked peeling and bleeding,” says Dave. Next he found a company locally to fulfill the orders, before outsourcing them to a facility in Mexico. Now the cases are made by a team of people in a factory in Shenzhen, China, who he describes as being “like family to us.”

How to win friends and influencers

The company has grown largely organically on a fairly smooth upward trajectory from the beginning. But aside from the fortuitous Miley Cyrus encounter, Dave recalls one other “critical moment” when Wildflower experienced a huge boost. He noticed the site was getting a significant amount of traffic from YouTube. When he investigated, he discovered that a beauty vlogger called Maddi Bragg had been buying and reviewing Wildflower cases and posting videos on her channel.

It was a turning point. The YouTuber quickly developed a friendship with Devon and Sydney, and in 2015 proposed what would be the first of Wildflower’s many influencer collaborations. “We have collaborations lined up through the end of this year,” says Dave. “It’s now just become part of our DNA.”

Big brands famously court the web’s biggest influencers. But while they’re armed with well-funded marketing departments, smaller firms like Wildflower have to use more-personal connections. For the Carlsons, the relationships they have with collaborators nearly always emerge as a result of Sydney and Devon’s friendship network. These days, many influencers approach the company with their own ideas for designs.

As a result, over the past few years Wildflower has partnered with some of the internet’s most influential young women, including model Bella Hadid and YouTubers Tana Mongeau and Hannah Meloche. Perhaps none has had quite the same impact, though, as the collaboration with 18-year-old YouTuber Emma Chamberlain, whom Time included on its 2019 list of the 25 most influential people on the internet, alongside the duke and duchess of Sussex, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Donald Trump.

“Her first collab was two years ago maybe, and her case just keeps selling and selling,” says Carlson. “It’s been a very successful one and she already wants to do a new design, so we’re probably going to be doing another collab with her.”

Chamberlain’s design continues to make regular appearances in her own Instagram mirror selfies, and there’s a sense that for influencers, the relationship with the company is authentic in a way that paid-per-post collaborations with other brands often aren’t.

View this post on Instagram

heres selfie and im gonna regret it

A post shared by ☆ emma chamberlain ☆ (@emmachamberlain) on Sep 19, 2019 at 12:16pm PDT

Since day one, Cyrus has continued to support Wildflower, and the cases have also been spotted adorning the phone of many a pop girl (Dua Lipa, Halsey and Lana Del Rey are all fans). Last year they were even featured on HBO’s dark teen drama of the moment, Euphoria.

In spite of the number of famous faces spotted with the cases, Sydney tells me via email that she always feels surprised when she sees them in the wild, regardless of who’s carrying them. “Usually when I’m out and about in public and see people with our cases is when I get most excited,” she says. “It always catches me off guard and is so rewarding to see people with our phone cases, whoever they are.”

Mirror-selfies and niche memes

Having a phone case you can show off is great for making your iPhone stand out when they almost all look the same, but the cases became increasingly important during the rise of the Instagram mirror-selfie of 2017. Around the same time, Wildflower cases started to feature heavily in niche memes — an Instagram post format that’s popular among teen girls and that was described by Taylor Lorenz in a 2017 Daily Beast article as “a unique, hyper-specific collage about the creator.”

In the world of Instagram aesthetics, the cases are more than just a status symbol. The frequency with which they feature suggests they’re an integral part of Instagram’s visual language, with the wide array of design options meaning they can be used to contribute to an equally wide array of aesthetics. Examples include Wildflower’s green flame case being featured in a niche meme about being a Billie Eilish fan, or the cherry case (in our header art) being incorporated in a post titled “she always tries impressing her crush.”

View this post on Instagram

send this to a friend 😊 follow me (@niches.v1) for more 💘 via: @holytortilla.s

A post shared by niche memes 💘 (@niches.v1) on Nov 18, 2019 at 1:15pm PST

Wildflower has a curious relationship with meme culture, in that as much as the brand feeds into it, the designs of the cases often also feel deeply inspired by it. “Devon and I are very into the internet world and can definitely say meme culture has influenced our ideas,” Sydney says. This feedback loop could well explain the continued popularity of the brand, which over the past eight years has appeared to seamlessly evolve and kept pace with Instagram aesthetics and trends.

It also helps that every single Wildflower case is limited edition, according to Dave. Only a specific number of each design iteration is made, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. “That mentality has always created a sense of scarcity,” he says. “We try to tell everyone, get it while you can. And if Michelle decides to discontinue a style, then it’s discontinued and we’ll probably move on to the next trend.”

Michelle, who’s the company’s CEO, still continues to have the final say over designs. She works closely with Devon and Sydney, who have said in their own YouTube videos that they take inspiration from their friends and from fashion trends they observe around LA as well as on Instagram and YouTube. “Our customers have become our muses when designing, and it all comes full circle,” Devon recently told Forbes in an interview.

According to 16-year-old Californian model and TikTok star Nicole Sahebi, who’s been featured on Wildflower’s Instagram page, the biggest appeal of the cases remains the designs, which she says “are perfect to mix and match with different outfits.”

“Coupled with their unique color schemes, each Wildflower case is so beautiful and sleek that I feel the need to have all of them,” Sahebi tells me. “And I almost do.”

Keeping it in the family

The next year holds some exciting developments for Wildflower, with yet-to-be-announced collaborations branching out beyond the influencer world. Already the company has been working with Urban Outfitters, and more partnerships with household names are yet to be announced.

Previously there were also efforts to make cases for Samsung Galaxyphones, but this was dropped after they failed to sell in great enough numbers, according to Dave. The company has added Apple Watch bands and laptop clutches to its stable of products, but otherwise it’s sticking to the core business of iPhone cases.

“One of the things we’ve tried just with a company ethos is to just keep things simple,” says Dave. This includes keeping the business family-run (there are 23 employees in total now), something he says works well for all of them.

When Wildflower started, Sydney and Devon were still teenagers, answering phones, responding to emails, packing up cases. Now as adults, they’re social media manager and brand manager of the company respectively, as well as named co-founders, and they’re used to working alongside their parents on a daily basis.

This story, of a business built by a mother-daughter (and father) team, plucked from obscurity by a global superstar after a chance encounter, is the thing that’s always propelled the company forward, featuring on every leaflet for every single phone case sold.

“We love to share the story in the hope that it inspires other young girls — or anybody, actually — that wants to pursue something and turn it into a business,” says Dave. “I think there are especially a lot of young girls out there that will probably look up to Devon and Sydney and really take a lot away from that.”

https://growinsta.xyz/how-influencer-approved-wildflower-iphone-cases-came-to-dominate-instagram/

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mwldesignnljewelry · 5 years ago

Photo

Leopard floral silk dresses women natural 2020

Brand Name: vie artistique Material: SILK Decoration: Appliques Season: Spring Waistline: Dropped Style: Bohemian Silhouette: A-Line Sleeve Length(cm): Half Pattern Type: Leopard Neckline: V-Neck Sleeve Style: REGULAR Dresses Length: Floor-Length Main photo source: Will have the model Style: OL commuter Process: Printing/dyeing Origin: Shenzhen Combination forms: Single Long skirt: MIDI Sleeve length: Five points in the cuff/sleeve

http://nemb.it/p/hJlYKqbXSOJ

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ning-qiao · 5 years ago

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Blog·10：Illustrator ：Victo Ngai

This is my last blog. In the end, I want to introduce one of my favorite artists Victo Ngai, an illustrator from Hong Kong. She is among one of the youngest winners of in Forbes 30 under 30 (30 winners aged below 30). She nearly won almost all famous awards for illustration in America at the age of 25, including two golden medals in American Society of Illustrators.

Her illustration works are thought to “demonstrate western philosophy by oriental colors”.

With focus on details, her illustration works are mostly composed of rich and bright colors and smooth lines. In my opinion, excessive expression of details easily turns the work to a mess. Whereas, her works are always well-ordered. They not only bring about strong sense of impacts because of intricate visual effects, but also highlight the subject so that audiences can see the leading roles in the illustration at the first sight.

This is the advertising board that she has designed for the shopping center Mixc World in Shenzhen, China.

Mixc World Launch Event Final Image

She designs two roles in this advertising board, namely Mixc elephant and little girl. She expects to create a pleasant and unrestrained shopping playground via her illustration. She has arranged visual foreshadowing in her works. For instance, the pattern on the bud sent by the elephant to the little girl corresponds to the cosmos pattern on the body of the elephant. Likewise, the outer lines of leopard are related to stripes on the elephant, skirt of the little girl, buildings and even the sky. The composition reflects the possibilities arising from the flowers sent by Mixc Elephant, just like the excellent experience created by the Mixc World for shoppers.

Mixc Spring Festival Final Image

Mixc World Christmas Final Image

The following is the outer packing designed by her for a wine brand.

Victo Ngai X Johnnie Walker Blue Label

Bottle Digital Mock-up

Prophecy Wine Labels

And the following are her illustrations designed for the cover and inside pages of fascinating collection of short stories by author Yiyun Li.

She has created a great many outstanding works, but I can’t list more of them one by one. So if you are interested in her illustration, you may visit her website https://victo-ngai.com/.

References：

Ngai, V. (2019). Victo Ngai. [online] Victo-ngai.com. Available at: https://victo-ngai.com/ [Accessed 15 Dec. 2019].

#illustrator #victo ngai #porfolio

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sinetheta · 7 years ago

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FOREIGN: Profile and interview with multilingual Chinese/Chinese-American rapper Bohan Phoenix

In the midst of Bohan Phoenix’s latest international tour, we decided to release the full profile and interview that Sine Theta editor-in-chief Jiaqi Kang conducted with the rapper last fall. In this story, he discusses his roots, his rediscovery of China, and, of course, his signature, everlasting philosophy of lovelove. The interview is available in print form in Sine Theta Issue 2: “COLOR 彩.” Bohan Phoenix’s latest single is “Product,” which can be found here.

“This is Bohan Phoenix, Chinese-American rapper extraordinaire, utterly brash near the three-minute mark of the music video for ‘Motivasian,’ a song taken from his latest EP entitled Foreign. It’s a track in which, like much of his discography, his boyish, insolent voice masterfully switches between English and Mandarin as he raps about his experiences. As someone whose identity is composed of two vastly different cultures, he is a foreigner everywhere he goes –– too Chinese for America, and too American for China.”

A pagoda sits atop a pier somewhere in Beijing. Its pillars –– red for prosperity and happiness –– and tiled, tilted roof are reflected in the quiet greyness of the lake below while traditional Chinese music plays softly in the background. Ripples begin to form in the water when two figures appear in the side of the frame, walking briskly along the pier. Behind them loom tall apartment blocks, grimy from pollution.

Cut to within the pagoda: two men sit on the floor, playing Chinese chess and smoking. The hurried figures –– a Chinese man with shiny eyes, accompanied by a loyal, skinny white friend –– arrive, slightly breathless. As their footsteps approach, one of the chess players, a black man with sharp cheekbones and somewhat cheap-looking silk pyjamas, flips a fake braid attached to his vaguely Qing-era imperial yellow cap. A twanging sound effect is heard as the frame freezes on his bulging eyes and gaping mouth. An intertitle introduces him: Black Sesame. “Bohan?” he squawks in faux surprise, looking up at the Chinese man. “I haven’t seen you in thirty-five years. What the fuck are you doing in Beijing?”

“Somebody’s got Chewy, man, they got Chewy!” comes the answer from Bohan. It had barely been twenty-four hours since he’d received the international call, which informed him that his cousin in the capital had been kidnapped and that the ransom was 3.5 billion yuan. He’d immediately flown from New York to Beijing to scour the streets for Black Sesame, hoping that his old friend would help him. “Where the fuck can I get that type of money ‘round here?”

“I don’t know,” says Black Sesame. He rubs his temple in exaggerated deep thought, then consults his chess opponent. “What do you think, Howie?”

Howie Lee raises his head, a strange gaze staring from behind thick glasses. “Neng shuochang ma?” he asks in Mandarin. “Can you rap?”

And suddenly, like a stage curtain falling away, everything solid melts into air. The soft light and peaceful lake setting is gone, abruptly replaced by an unnamed Beijing concert venue. An ominous, piercing chant appears out of nowhere, accompanied by frantic drums and the sudden figure of a man shrouded by darkness. It takes a second for us to realise that this is the same Chinese man as in the previous scene –– he has removed his thick hoodie and is now shirtless and defiant as he barks into a microphone behind a blurred lens, his entire body writhing to the beat. An excited audience sways around him, pale arms and hands glinting for the briefest of moments under nervous, flashing lights. The visuals, which storm by on fast-forward, begin to fuse together into a swirl of neon colors and pixels.

This is Bohan Phoenix, Chinese-American rapper extraordinaire, utterly brash near the three-minute mark of the music video for Motivasian, a song taken from his latest EP entitled “Foreign.” It’s a track in which, like much of his discography, his boyish, insolent voice masterfully switches between English and Mandarin as he raps about his experiences. As someone whose identity is composed of two vastly different cultures, he is a foreigner everywhere he goes –– too Chinese for America, and too American for China.

Bohan Phoenix is a rising figure in the hip-hop circuit. As one of a tiny handful of Asian-American rappers, his ethnicity makes him stand out from the crowd and his music is anything but ordinary. Unlike most other non-black hip-hop artists, he doesn’t merely mimic the conventions of black music culture, but works to bring traditional elements into fusion with rap. Phoenix’s smooth incorporation of Mandarin into his music distinguishes him from many Asian-American rappers who did not grow up speaking their mother tongues, and this double fluency allows him the potential to thrive in his native country. And yet, by embracing this notably unique style, Phoenix runs the risk of alienating a chunk of his Western audience and may not become a big star anytime soon –– though even those who don’t understand what he is saying admit that he has an obvious affinity for rap. Although he doesn’t even have his own Wikipedia page yet, this independent artist is part of the new online generation that doesn’t need to be signed to a label to be well-known. With over 210’000 plays on his Soundcloud and fans from all over the world, the twenty-four-year-old Phoenix is slowly and steadily conquering the globe.

I find Phoenix on the porch of a quiet suburban house to the west of Boston on a fresh summer morning. Wearing a plain white T-shirt, old sweatpants, and a gaudy leopard-print bandana reminiscent of nineties housewives, he invites my two friends and me into his mother’s dark, cluttered home. There’s that familiar greeting the Chinese use: “Have you eaten?” As we pass through the kitchen, he gestures towards the stove, where a pot full of congee sits alongside a tray of multicolored dumplings. His mother made him a special meal the evening before because he’d come from Brooklyn to visit her, he tells us as he sits back down in front of his laptop on the dining table. Mrs. Phoenix, it seems, is enthusiastic in the kitchen: I brush past a pile of glazed pillows made of marzipan, and sit down with my elbow next to a sponge cake in the shape of a ukulele.

Phoenix’s last name is Leng, which is the same as his mother’s, as he has only met his biological father twice. His parents weren’t married, so when his mother became pregnant, she had to return to Hubei province and marry her high school classmate in order to avoid the stigma surrounding single mothers. Phoenix is like many children of the jiuling hou, post-90s, generation that sprung up after Deng Xiaoping’s market reforms in the eighties. New economic opportunities pushed millions of young Chinese to newly prosperous cities, where they made money to send back home to family. Phoenix was raised by his grandparents in Yichang, a provincial city with a population of 4 million on the banks of the Yangtze, while his mother migrated to work in booming Shenzhen in the south. He struggled in school, and his mother realized that she would never be able to to keep up with the strict Chinese education system once he was in high school. She worked in real estate and was better off than most migrant workers, who, even today, bounce listlessly from factory to factory for years, unable to scrape together enough money to find a way out.

And so, at the turn of the millennium, she moved to the United States in search of better opportunities for her son. Phoenix followed in 2003 at the age of 11. When he first arrived, he spoke no English and was unable to communicate with his white stepfather. He recalls crying almost every night for home. His grandmother died not long after, an event that, Phoenix tells me, “took away a reason for me to go back to China.” After a couple of years in the States, he finally adjusted and settled down, becoming close with his stepfather, who treated him as his own flesh and blood. It didn’t hurt that he discovered hip-hop classics like Eminem and Tupac, whose music helped him to learn the language and gave him something in common with the local kids. ----

Back in the dining room, Phoenix busies himself on his computer as he waits for us to finish eating the dumplings. He strokes his meagre goatee while whistling and occasionally checking Pokémon Go on his phone. He makes easy small talk and, once he finds out that one of my friends will be interning at a Hong Kong music festival this autumn, he immediately begins speaking over the phone to a contact at VICE China about appearing in the line-up. Phoenix is jittery and active, always on the lookout for the opportunity to hone his craft, his ears constantly tuned into the soundscape around him –– on one occasion, deep into our interview, he stops abruptly to listen to the beeping sound of a van as it backs out of its parking space, casually commenting, “That’s a nice sound,” before returning to his original line of thought, his expression equally intrigued and amused.

There’s also a boyish innocence about him; he flits from topic to topic, his thoughts bouncing around and colliding with one another. He chats about House of Cards and going camping, and we have a brief conversation about Chairman Mao’s infamous infected pimple as he drives us in his mom’s Honda to a nearby park. There, the Wednesday sunlight rests modestly on pale green grass, and Phoenix plomps down onto dusty bleachers to admire the stark blue sky. Even when sitting down, he constantly fidgets with his various accessories: he takes his sunglasses off, then puts them on again; he twirls his bracelets around on his wrist –– there’s an innate skittish energy that seems to seep out of his very pores and sink into his music. His lyrics are at times playful and light-hearted, reflecting the laid-back way he enjoys life: “Motivasian” includes the tongue-in-cheek lines I heard they don’t ever pay attention / Spit a few in Mandarin to check if they listenin’.

For much of his career, Phoenix was convinced that he needed to create what he describes as “poetic rap”: contemplative, introspective music with artistic symbolism. It’s with this mindset that he churned out the 2013 mixtape X Years. Its title referred to the ten years he has spent in each of his two home countries: China and the United States. Although it received critical acclaim, only traces of it can now be found as Phoenix has wiped it from the Internet. He tells me that he felt the music didn’t properly convey the concept of his split cultural identity. “I probably had, like, 3 lines of Chinese on that entire thing,” he says. “Afterwards, I was like, ‘This doesn’t make sense.’ So it took it down.” From the few videos that I can find through some minor YouTube sleuthing, it seems that making X Years was tantamount to coloring within the lines. A review on the Hip Hop Speakeasy praises Phoenix’s talents but notes that he “rhymes over classic instrumentals”. He had grown up listening to great hip-hop, but had not yet, at the time, found his own voice. His embarrassment at X Years is evident in the fact that it no longer exists.

Another song that Phoenix is considering removing from the Internet is So(ul) Faded, a 2014 singsong track set to a closed-eyed piano melody created during what Phoenix calls his “J. Cole phase,” after the North Carolina-raised rapper famous for his lyrical hip-hop. In the music video, which is entirely in black-and-white, a dismal-looking Phoenix gets a haircut as he raps pessimistically about the desolate state of society today. The song is dark and heavy, and features news footage from the Boston Marathon bombing that took place in April 2013. “So(ul) Faded makes me so fucking sad,” Phoenix says. “It’s depressing. I don’t like performing it. I don’t like listening to it.” But what Phoenix doesn’t mention are the hints of imitation. It’s been pointed out to me that the haircut Phoenix is getting is a fade, and that he’s sitting in a traditional black barbershop. In the world of hip-hop –– a music scene created and led by African-Americans –– Phoenix and other non-black rappers of color straddle the line between dealing with their own racial marginalization and seeking refuge by unduly engaging with black culture. As a result, this adoption of attributes, including black hairstyles and language (African American Vernacular English, abbreviated as AAVE), presents an obvious problem as black people themselves are condemned for the display of their own culture, but non-black people can freely perform it with little censure.

Asians in hip-hop often feel racially alienated. Jaeki Cho and Salima Koroma, the filmmakers behind Bad Rap, a 2016 documentary about the topic, wrote in an email that not only do Asian-American rappers face the regular racial stereotypes, but, on top of this, there “aren’t many Asian-American artists, executives, and media personalities to start,” according to Cho. “Also, until recently, East Asian culture discouraged participation in art and entertainment, while praising conformity.” And then there’s the toxic dichotomy –– while black men have historically been wrongfully perceived as aggressive and dangerous, cultural distortions emasculate Asian men. As Phoenix himself says, nodding: “Dongfang ruo fu.” The weak man from the East.

“Hip-hop has always been an art that encourages machismo,” Cho tells me. So perhaps to overcome misconceptions about being effeminate, Asians in hip-hop across the world will attempt to compensate by appropriating black culture. They pick the most appealing aspects and try them on like new clothes, with little regard for the brutal history of social and systemic discrimination specific to African-Americans that led to the creation and evolution of black culture in the first place. Keith Ape, the Korean rapper whose It G Ma went viral in 2015, wears braids in his hair and grills in his teeth; Brian Imanuel, an Indonesian comedian who raps under the name ‘Rich Chigga’, has used black slang as well as the N-word. Phoenix acknowledges that copying black culture can lead to quicker success. “Without all that,” he admits, “it takes way longer to blow up.”

There can sometimes be a thin line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. Phoenix doesn’t consciously try to imitate black culture, appearing to disapprove of such an act. He believes that using the N-word is unnecessary. “It doesn’t make sense,” he explains. Non-black rappers, he says, will imitate trends that they think is ‘cool’ without thinking about the meaning behind it. “People don’t think about why they’re doing things anymore. Keith Ape? He’s super original in his own way. But outside of that, it’s all carbon copy.” When Phoenix finds fame, it’s going to be through his own creative efforts. But he tugs at his wrist, where he sports a bracelet that looks like a metal fork bent into a circular shape, and shrugs. “I’m not gonna knock it, because that’s their hustle… I think time will tell who’s gonna have longevity,” he says. “I wanna have longevity,” he adds.

To Phoenix, the originality and sincerity in his art is paramount: “My mentor tells me that the day you decide to be yourself, your life becomes easier and easier.” His mentor is his gospel choir teacher, Sheldon Reid, also associated with the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College, and who was the first to truly encourage his enthusiasm for rap, during the last two years of high school. He had Phoenix write verses that he would perform solo, with the choir backing him up, in front of the entire school. That gave Phoenix the confidence to perform, and drew him towards music as a profession. Ever since his gospel days, he has been constantly renewing himself for his art –– and it’s no surprise that the moniker he picked for himself is so representative of his mindset: a phoenix dies only to rise from the ashes again, stronger. Though Phoenix may have started out with more traditional hip-hop, his evolution means that he has now grown out of it and has begun to forge his own path. After a slew of small projects, Phoenix seemed to have stumbled upon something big when he founded loveloveN¥C.

To love the concept of love –– lovelove, or 爱爱 in Chinese –– is Bohan Phoenix’s thing. Call it a motto, a message, a perspective, a vision, or whatever you’d like –– it’s the phrase under which he and his friends, who include producer Jachary (who also played Black Sesame in the Motivasian music video) and tattoo artist Ralph a.k.a. M4, operate. It’s the name of their studio in Brooklyn, and it’s inked onto T-shirts, baseball caps, and Phoenix’s left arm. It’s an encouragement to embrace positivity and face the world as a good person. “Being nice is the coolest thing,” Phoenix informs me. “Seriously. I mean, love is the coolest thing –– ever.” It’s the message that he wants to resonate across the world, and he’s still figuring out how to do it through his music.

In early 2015, Phoenix put out loveloveEP, made up of four songs produced by Jachary, his roommate and closest collaborator. Infused with soft percussion and jazz-funk inspirations, the EP began to showcase what would become Phoenix’s distinctive style, which mixes honest autobiographical lyrics with cheerfulness and humor. Obama probably blowin’ trees and just keeps it lowkey, he raps in “So Responsible,” a track about smoking marijuana. The songs are catchy and fun to listen to, and their creation allowed Phoenix to experiment with new production processes such as working with live instruments. But Phoenix isn’t satisfied with it. The EP, which was completed in a week and a half, “could’ve been better,” he admits. It was much too short, and didn’t properly convey the idea of lovelove. Its mismatched title would cause listeners to misunderstand his message.

Phoenix finally found his voice when he began collaborating with Beijing-based producer Howie Lee (who starred as the antagonist in the “Motivasian” video) –– for one, it now contains more Mandarin lyrics. Songs were once lightly peppered with Chinese elements; now, the blend of cultures is an even mix. Phoenix also takes himself far less seriously as he’d previously done on the rambunctious four songs from his Foreign EP, which was released in March of this year.

Lee’s beats incorporate unconventional sounds and Chinese instruments such as the guzheng, and make each of the songs absolutely entrancing: “Loveloveworldwide” is haunted by an ominous humming of unknown origin; “Motivasian” is backed by urgent staccato clicking sounds that make listeners’ heartbeats quicken with anticipation; They Don’t Know is reminiscent of a crazed child’s glockenspiel; and a hypnotising drum persists in the eponymous track Foreign. Such groundwork by a creative producer sends Phoenix’s voice flying through the air to match it with lurching rhythms and impressive versatility. His voice sounds unleashed as it switches from loud and boisterous to robustly fluid. “Foreign was different,” Phoenix explains, “because Howie’s beats were so different. I tried being serious on Foreign and I couldn’t –– it didn’t work. I just decided to have fun.”

On these tracks, Phoenix juggles English and Mandarin impressively. He alternates between verses and even, at times, in the middle of a sentence –– deftly switching to another language to make a line rhyme with the previous one. Interestingly, much of his Mandarin lyrics are reminiscent of his childhood days and refer to his family, with whom he communicated in that language. Some lines evoke scoldings from his mother, like Bu yao chouyan, yiding yao nianshu (“Stop smoking, you must study harder”), while others are his own words: Mama wo huilai le (“Mom, I’m home”). In English, where Phoenix has a wider, more mature vocabulary, he nonetheless makes references to his ancestral culture with allusions to “tai chi” and “Beijing”.

It is startling how malleable Mandarin becomes on Phoenix’s tongue. He reshapes it to fit the heaving flow of his verses. Phoenix references Tang dynasty poet Li Bai in one of his songs, but I’m sure Li would be astounded to hear the way this young tributary has squeezed the neat, tidy, paced syllables of Chinese into a raft and sent them careening violently down a bounding cascade. Inspired by prodigious Taiwanese artist Jay Chou, who helped pioneer the incorporation of rap into mainstream Mandopop, Phoenix also abandons the four tones of Mandarin that enable listeners to distinguish meaning from sound, replacing them with flattened versions. At first, it just sounds like Phoenix hasn’t mastered the language, but this is obviously not the case –– he does it on purpose. Mandarin sounds too choppy otherwise, Phoenix says. “But I have some friends in Chengdu and they speak in the Sichuan dialect and it’s like, that dialect is perfect for rapping.”

He’s referring to the Higher Brothers, a group of rappers who are part of the Chengdu Rap House and with whom he collaborated while on tour in China in the spring of 2016. The Motherland Tour, backed by VICE China, also featured Howie Lee and Zhang Yang from Lee’s do hits group and two other diasporic Chinese musicians: Mike Gao and Nehzuil, who grew up in Los Angeles and New Zealand respectively. This was the third time returning to China in the past year for Phoenix, and with each visit his appreciation for his birth country grew. In March 2015, he’d met his biological father for the second time ever and discovered to his surprise the uncanny similarities in dress, body language, and personality between the two. Later, in October 2015, he brought his American friends along to visit Beijing for the first time and to shoot the “Motivasian” video. This third time, Phoenix was not only accompanied by his loveloveN¥C friends while performing all across the country, but also met a slew of acquaintances during his travels. He was able to see China through the eyes of a tourist. Whereas before, when he returned to China, he would simply visit his family in Chengdu, he now goes sightseeing and partying with an entourage of equally energetic minds and is thus able to discover a totally different –– and perhaps far more entertaining –– side of China.

----

Rediscovering China also allowed Phoenix to rediscover himself. He was able to unearth that unique aspect of his identity through these extended visits, and it has been a factor in his transition from darker, more traditional hip-hop to his current playful style. “I don’t wanna shoot any videos in America now,” he confesses. “It was so much fun [in China]. Everything was dope there.” He compares China to New York, where he now lives, that has for more than a century been the hub of American art and culture. “It’s easier not to be creative when you’re shooting in China,” he says, because of how refreshing it is simply to see a different backdrop in a music video. “New York is so overshot. Everything [there] is overshot.” He now realizes that he can bring China into his creative career and allow his aspect of him to let him stand out as an artist. He also sees the market potential in China –– the hip-hop scene in the country is still in its early stages, and he wants to help shape it. Due to a lack of major music platforms –– Soundcloud, the West’s most popular music-sharing site, is blocked, and there is no real equivalent to alternative media outlets such as Pitchfork –– independent music has a harder time gaining widespread attention. But Phoenix is confident that the scene will develop, and that audiences in China will receive his message of lovelove.

Similar to Oscar Wilde, who famously applied the theories of aestheticism to his daily life, turning himself into an eccentric celebrity of the literary world, Phoenix embodies what he preaches. He’s already living the lovelove lifestyle by stubbornly treating everybody with respect, which is one of the reasons why he refuses to openly criticise other artists. From Phoenix’s point of view, all conflicts, such as the controversy over NYPD officer Peter Liang’s conviction, boil down to misconception; a lack of love. Phoenix tells me about his aunt in Chengdu, China, with whom he and his friends stayed during their tour. Immigration rates are extremely low in the country, and most Chinese have never met a black person in their life. In a documentary about the tour released by Noisey, a VICE channel, it’s revealed that Phoenix’s aunt once texted him saying, “Your mom tells me you’re worshipping black people.” She explains in the film that, to her, black people are at the bottom of society and that their misery fuels their music. After three days spent with Ralph and Jachary, though, Phoenix recalls her exclaiming, “Wow! Black people are so nice!” But Phoenix trails off just as he begins to get heated about race –– it’s obvious that he doesn’t like to think too much about it. “I don’t know,” he mumbles. “It’s too complicated.”

Later, when I push him to speak more about the racism I feel sure he’s experienced, he becomes irritable. He says he’s never faced hostility in the hip-hop scene as an Asian. “There’s one race: the human race,” he insists. Lovelove is supposed to overcome all superficial barriers –– it’s what truly makes sense to him right now. Perhaps Phoenix has finally found what he has been looking for all along within this ideology, and perhaps in a few years he will reinvent himself again. When I email Jachary and ask him if he thinks loveloveN¥C will last, the reply is simply and staunchly: “lovelove forever.”

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There’s a line from “Loveloveworldwide,” written by Phoenix after his second big trip to China:

我想搬回中国可我没勇气 Wo xiang banhui Zhongguo ke wo mei yongqi I want to move back to China but I don’t have the courage

The phrase hits me deep in the gut. It articulates a feeling that resides within us both, and within many members of the diaspora –– the calling of one’s ancestral roots and all the uncertainty it carries. With China’s rapid economic growth, culture is evolving just as fast, and each visit means that there is something new and fresh happening. “It’s amazing,” Phoenix says. There are so many things that haven’t been tried yet, beckoning the formation of a new avant-garde generation. And yet, at the same time, “it takes so much guts and so much spontaneity to just drop everything. Technically,” Phoenix confesses, “there’s nothing holding me back. But it’s all these things that I conjure up.”

Phoenix is increasingly splitting his time between the two countries and is working on building bridges between two cultures that often seem like they are in total opposition, whether politically or socially. Yet amidst the back and forth, Phoenix still makes time to unwind every now and then. As the official part of our interview wraps up, I snap some photos and Phoenix rolls a joint. We watch the high noon sunlight as it sits poised on the grass in the park –– the same park where, years ago, Phoenix and his schoolmates used to smoke together. He recommends a list of good Asian restaurants in Boston. I mention being underage for tattoos, and he invites me down to New York so that Ralph can ink me, no questions asked. I politely decline. It’s his birthday this weekend, and he’ll be releasing a short song called “Epilogue” to celebrate. With its synthetic instrumentals and the visceral, desperate quality to the backup vocals, it’s simultaneously emotional and coolly rational. It’s a fitting conclusion to the Foreign era of Phoenix’s work, which also includes “3 Days in Chengdu,” a 12-minute song produced by Jachary that begins with an unpretentious eulogy to his passed-away grandmother. After this, it’s a second EP with Howie Lee, and maybe some singles here and there. Another year lies ahead, six months of which will be spent in China. The future is brilliantly uncertain.

A small breeze rustles the trees. Phoenix shows me the cover that he’d originally intended to use for the Foreign EP: it’s a cartoon of him as topless baby Mao, smoking a cigar as he smiles at something in the distance, teeth glinting. VICE China, the platform on which he’d officially premiered the tracks, wouldn’t let him use it. Now, the picture shows him wearing a fuzzy panda hat and a gold chain; crisis averted. Phoenix puts away his phone. He asks me to take a Polaroid photo of him by the Honda, lighting a cigarette. He rests his water bottle on the roof of the car, where it perches momentarily, taciturn, before it’s retrieved again. He adjusts his bandana. “I’m going to go watch Finding Dory,” he says, getting into his car and tossing his cigarette butt without stepping on it. “I’m excited.” •

Photography and Illustrations by Jiaqi Kang

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