Fascinatin’ Facts

Authors

Date of this Version

2-21-2009

Document Type

Article

Citation

February 21, 2009 in The China Beat http://www.thechinabeat.org/

Comments

Copyright February 21, 2009. Used by permission.

Abstract

Harper’s has just put its famous “index” feature online and it is (thrill of thrills) searchable. Of course, this has spawned a host of postings around the web about what the index has covered over the years. Among those are a few China watchers.

Shanghaiist notes that there has been only one substantive mention of “Shanghai” in the twenty-five years of the index (there are two hits for the word “Shanghai,” but one is for Shanghai Tang).

Tim Johnson did a search for “China” and shares some of the entries from the past three years, with the source of the information listed as well (just as interesting to track where Harper’s is getting its information). Here are a few of Johnson’s tidbits, but make the jump for more:

9/06 — Minimum number of Chinese censors who monitor Internet activity: 100,000 (Xiao Qiang, China Internet Project, Berkeley, Calif.)

4/07 — Maximum body-mass index that China now allows for any foreigner adopting a Chinese infant: 39 (China Center of Adoption Affairs, Beijing) Maximum number of divorces that prospective parents can have between them: 2 (China Center of Adoption Affairs)

11/08 — Average number of hours per week that an American and a Chinese person, respectively, spend shopping: 4, 10 (McKinsey & Company, NYC)