Chadourne After the writer last Monday, here Chadourne journalist ... During his stay in Hong Kong, the French do not merely describe its environment. He asks his compatriots on-site for some time. It includes knowledge of an employee of the Bank of Indochina who embarks on an instructive shopping session. Financial crisis, counterfeiting, discussions on the "Made in China", the topics may have a resonance today.
Once the initial impressions of the city appeared under his trenchant pen, Marc gives Chadourne in the shade and linger on the news of the city. While China was wracked with riots, Europeans seem to dominate. "On the threshold of this dark continent and it is chaotic inputs, river and rail, the West is master. Temptation dizzying this old world is sick of him. Error. Nothing to it. What she gave, China knows it back. She did not already taken? ".
journalist takes over later in the story. He briefly traces recent events in 1925-26 that changed the British colony. The social turmoil led from Canton by the communists, and especially the famous Soviet envoy, Borodin, is depicted in a few lines a year of strikes, boycotts, leakage of Communist workers to China until the day ... " loosens the grip. Hong Kong saw languidly. " The port, tired, is recovering slowly, but its shortcomings are pointed at.
"Under the arcades of the city that the high Victorian facades crush a gloomy shadow, I seek the marks of his weakness. From the outside, nothing appears. For the fronts, the eternal English luxury accessories: beautiful tweeds, golf clubs, the striped ties. Inside, everyone! If the sellers are quick to meet customer's unexpected. "The reporter's investigation side of the masters of the city. "Great cities have their physicians: what are the bankers. They know, if they treat their evil secret. They each day their temperature charts: exchange rates, prices of securities. [...] I'm going to see the practitioner of the BIC [Bank of Indochina]. [...] Is a French jovial, alert [...]. It wraps cheerful pessimism disinterested - This is bad yes. But elsewhere? Money down everywhere. Here is the crisis ... people buy less: the lords of war have squezzés too. "To the banker, the boycott is already ancient history. Business returns and says that the Chinese still have far too need to Hong Kong on the way, he reveals, moreover, that it was the English who sell the the famous Chinese Mausers ...
Chadourne still questions the banker. There was therefore no danger to Hong Kong? Yes, but very different. With the example of English cottons, the financier resident explains that imports tumbled sharply since 1925, not because of the boycott, but because the Chinese now have their own factories "like the disciples of Gandhi!". The banker continues under the pen of the journalist: "In Kowloon, they did a good job the British: they have moved heaven and earth, rocked the hills, the mountains open. [...] Results: Chinese spinners have taken instead arranged. Before ten years, Kowloon, English territory, become the Manchester Chinese. "
The result is a little further, in a place that the guide calls the" sincere "and that the novelist compares to" the Samaritan woman during the holiday Christmas. With more lamps, festoons of lanterns. The doors fly under a dual continuous flow. " Marc Chadourne discovers a Chinese bourgeoisie in Hong Kong, young, dressed in the fashion and buying products in Europe. Ten floors of luxury, "restaurants, dancing, theater on the roof, lemonade-view concert and Hong Kong." The ancestor of most modern "shopping mall" however pose some problems for Europeans.
The banker explained before, the European intermediaries were needed. Now everything is done through catalogs and encrypted codes. The Chinese can provide directly. Without intermediaries, prices fall by half. It's the end of an economic system and the first part of a danger more real than the boycott. Marc
Chadourne fun before an English hat strange, then face a suit in the colors which he does not know existed. "These hats they themselves have made Chinese hats. Westernize China and you the curious case of mimicry in reverse: the hat chameleon. "The secret and success of these companies rely heavily on counterfeiting, it is the second major danger for Europeans. The banker friend continues his explanation: "The Chinese customer still has the fetishism of the brand of the West. But it imitated. Who thinks to protect the mark in this sweet country? Do you want the perfume, all false Pivert, Coty all false? Do you understand the price of "Sincere" now? "
The demonstration is followed by the conjunction of two threats before an authentic gramophone. No doubt, it may not be copied. Marc Chadourne means announce the price expectation of $ 90 while the representative of the firm, no commission is selling at 120. "They will sell without profit. A loss probably even. They have everything else to catch up. But they have the client and the skin of the competitor. You see here why I buy my socks and my shoes "Made in China"? That is why it is asleep, there, in the City. Did you know the danger? It's here. "
On the roof terrace of the store, the two men take a drink. "There is not as" sincere "... there are" Wing-It ", the" Sun "[...] the facade is English. But inside, everything is Chinese. " The two men conversing on this changing world, without them, one is fascinated and passionate looks, the other is concerned and spoke with bitterness. All about perspective.
The next day, Marc Chadourne takes the train to Guangzhou and Hong Kong met a young student, recently returned from Europe with his law degree. A conversation begins on the communist revolution ... that the young man leaves to join.
journalist takes over later in the story. He briefly traces recent events in 1925-26 that changed the British colony. The social turmoil led from Canton by the communists, and especially the famous Soviet envoy, Borodin, is depicted in a few lines a year of strikes, boycotts, leakage of Communist workers to China until the day ... " loosens the grip. Hong Kong saw languidly. " The port, tired, is recovering slowly, but its shortcomings are pointed at.
"Under the arcades of the city that the high Victorian facades crush a gloomy shadow, I seek the marks of his weakness. From the outside, nothing appears. For the fronts, the eternal English luxury accessories: beautiful tweeds, golf clubs, the striped ties. Inside, everyone! If the sellers are quick to meet customer's unexpected. "The reporter's investigation side of the masters of the city. "Great cities have their physicians: what are the bankers. They know, if they treat their evil secret. They each day their temperature charts: exchange rates, prices of securities. [...] I'm going to see the practitioner of the BIC [Bank of Indochina]. [...] Is a French jovial, alert [...]. It wraps cheerful pessimism disinterested - This is bad yes. But elsewhere? Money down everywhere. Here is the crisis ... people buy less: the lords of war have squezzés too. "To the banker, the boycott is already ancient history. Business returns and says that the Chinese still have far too need to Hong Kong on the way, he reveals, moreover, that it was the English who sell the the famous Chinese Mausers ...
Chadourne still questions the banker. There was therefore no danger to Hong Kong? Yes, but very different. With the example of English cottons, the financier resident explains that imports tumbled sharply since 1925, not because of the boycott, but because the Chinese now have their own factories "like the disciples of Gandhi!". The banker continues under the pen of the journalist: "In Kowloon, they did a good job the British: they have moved heaven and earth, rocked the hills, the mountains open. [...] Results: Chinese spinners have taken instead arranged. Before ten years, Kowloon, English territory, become the Manchester Chinese. "The result is a little further, in a place that the guide calls the" sincere "and that the novelist compares to" the Samaritan woman during the holiday Christmas. With more lamps, festoons of lanterns. The doors fly under a dual continuous flow. " Marc Chadourne discovers a Chinese bourgeoisie in Hong Kong, young, dressed in the fashion and buying products in Europe. Ten floors of luxury, "restaurants, dancing, theater on the roof, lemonade-view concert and Hong Kong." The ancestor of most modern "shopping mall" however pose some problems for Europeans.
The banker explained before, the European intermediaries were needed. Now everything is done through catalogs and encrypted codes. The Chinese can provide directly. Without intermediaries, prices fall by half. It's the end of an economic system and the first part of a danger more real than the boycott. Marc
Chadourne fun before an English hat strange, then face a suit in the colors which he does not know existed. "These hats they themselves have made Chinese hats. Westernize China and you the curious case of mimicry in reverse: the hat chameleon. "The secret and success of these companies rely heavily on counterfeiting, it is the second major danger for Europeans. The banker friend continues his explanation: "The Chinese customer still has the fetishism of the brand of the West. But it imitated. Who thinks to protect the mark in this sweet country? Do you want the perfume, all false Pivert, Coty all false? Do you understand the price of "Sincere" now? "
The demonstration is followed by the conjunction of two threats before an authentic gramophone. No doubt, it may not be copied. Marc Chadourne means announce the price expectation of $ 90 while the representative of the firm, no commission is selling at 120. "They will sell without profit. A loss probably even. They have everything else to catch up. But they have the client and the skin of the competitor. You see here why I buy my socks and my shoes "Made in China"? That is why it is asleep, there, in the City. Did you know the danger? It's here. "
On the roof terrace of the store, the two men take a drink. "There is not as" sincere "... there are" Wing-It ", the" Sun "[...] the facade is English. But inside, everything is Chinese. " The two men conversing on this changing world, without them, one is fascinated and passionate looks, the other is concerned and spoke with bitterness. All about perspective.
The next day, Marc Chadourne takes the train to Guangzhou and Hong Kong met a young student, recently returned from Europe with his law degree. A conversation begins on the communist revolution ... that the young man leaves to join. FD.
Sources: Marc Chadourne, China, Plon, 1931.
Illustrations Covarrubias, taken from the original edition.
Azémar Thanks to Yves and his inexhaustible library of old books on Asia, 89 Hollywood Road - Hong Kong.
Illustrations Covarrubias, taken from the original edition.
Azémar Thanks to Yves and his inexhaustible library of old books on Asia, 89 Hollywood Road - Hong Kong.
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