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China. What can I say
about China? One word - amazing! I would definitely recommend it
for anyone planning an overseas vacation. I think you’ll find
there’s something for everyone. If you’re into the luxury resort
scene Kowloon, Hong Kong definitely has something to offer at
Castle Peak Bay, where we spent at least one relaxing day at the
Gold Coast Hotel. Imagine breakfast every morning alongside a
large free form swimming pool, on an elegant terrace overlooking
the bay, surrounded by breezy palms and singing birds. One tip
here though: Don’t leave your breakfast unattended on the table
while you fetch yourself another cup of coffee. Apparently
they’re hungry birds!
Creative Thinking
Okay, that was a seemingly lazy start to a whirlwind business
trip and tour of the People’s Republic of China. Our hosts from
Creation Technology and Feilo Rising-Tech (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
were exceptional. From the factory in Shenzhen to the factory in
Shanghai, to Tiger Hill and the silk factory in Suzhou City, all
the way to Beijing and the Great Wall, as well as the
Underground Palace, we were accompanied and treated royally.
From Shanghai on we were part of a group of 13 to 7, hosted by
the wonderful and inimitable Mr. George Wong, director of the
company that brings you our Rav en vinyl cutter. Other members
of our group included Yvon and Peter from Sign Max, Montreal
(for those of you using WinPC software, you have them to thank
for that), a couple from the Philippines, two software
developers from Sweden, from Beijing the creator of Artcut
software (who is also the developer of the firmware for the Rav
en King cutters) and his wife, a sign equipment business woman
from Australia (but born in Shanghai), and a sign equipment
business man from England.
The seven of us that decided to go on to Beijing on the
overnight train, enjoyed a bonding experience seldom found in
Western business. But it certainly defined our ultimate Chinese
experience, as we established our own brand of multi-cultural
guanxi.
Scrabble Deluxe
Of course it wouldn’t be fair to use a word that can’t be looked
up in an English dictionary without providing a definiton, so
allow me to explain ‘guanxi’. This concept is so important in
China that entire university studies have been devoted to it. In
fact, let me dare to predict that with the insurgence of
economic power to be continued by the Chinese in the years to
come, we may in due time find this word in our own dictionaries.
And with that prelude, here it is: Guanxi - a network of strong
bonds and relationships within the family, and extending to all
areas of life, especially important in business. In Chinese
culture family is the ultimate unit of power and focus. Most
business is established within the family network, and in this
context all involved in a particular business are considered
part of the family. Like everything else in our universe guanxi
may be perceived to have both positive and negative effects. One
may be said to have good guanxi or bad guanxi (although
technically speaking, in Chinese language one may not be said to
have anything at all). If your guanxi is good it is probably
strong, and full of influential people. If it is bad it is
likely weak, or abounding with unsavoury characters. All in all,
guanxi is what has nurtured Chinese culture all these thousands
of years, and a strong culture it is.
So, there you have it, guanxi according to the Raven. I hope I
haven’t offended anyone of Chinese extraction with my
definition. If I have made any mistakes, please feel free to
enlighten me.
Orient Express
Having said all that, by the way, I would highly recommend the
night train from Shanghai to Beijing. The accommodations are
practically luxurious if you spring for a soft sleeper - cheap
by our standards (approx. $80 CAD). This buys you a compartment
with two lower bunks and two upper bunks. You can choose to
reserve lower or upper. The rooms are tiny but very clean and
comfortable, with a small table, hot water thermos, vase with
life-like flower, soft warm quilts, slippers, reading lights, PA
system volume control, temperature control, emergency call
button, and a door. We were lucky and had the place to
ourselves, which meant we were able to boost our sizeable
luggage onto the top bunks, giving us some floor space!
Anyway, this proved to be a great way to travel - cheaper than
air, and saved one night’s hotel accommodation. It departs
around 7 PM and gets you into Beijing 12 hours later. Our train
had a dining car with delicious food and decent wine. Of course,
we were traveling with great company, which was an added
enhancement. So, we arrived in Beijing quite refreshed, ready
for our foray to the Great Wall.
Moonlit Odyssey
About the Great Wall, you have to see it to believe it. And I
mean really see it for yourself. Let me rephrase that - you have
to experience it - in person - to believe it. Enough said.
The rest of the historical sights in and around Beijing - the
Underground Palace, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square were as
amazing as you might imagine. There are many more, but we saved
those for our next trip! Yup, we plan to return someday. We
loved our China experience.
But before I conclude this topic, no travelogue of China would
be complete without a description of the shopping. For the best
bargains you have at least to check out the Silk Market and the
Pearl Market. And then there was the night we found ourselves
wandering through the hutong. You never know what you might find
in a back alley at a fraction of the price. Anyway, Blair and I returned
with new shoes, a bag full of DVD’s, and most of our Christmas
shopping done.
With the value of the renminbi compared at about 6.76 to one
Canadian dollar, incredible deals abound. Shopping in China
,however, is not for the faint of heart. Especially in the
markets bargaining is not only the best thing to do, it’s
absolutely required - unless you choose to pay much more than
the value of the product. Prices in these places are very
over-inflated, and it’s tourists beware. However, if you have a
competitive spirit the challenge can end up very rewarding in
the end. Should you feel guilty about your results after
snagging a particularly good bargain? Not according to the
magnanimous smiles on the faces of the vendors once they have
your cash in hand! Obviously it’s a win-win situation.
Value Added
At Corbins you won’t have to haggle about the price. You will
always get extra value for your money. Awesome service is always
included with each and every sale. That’s something that’s
priceless, and let’s face it, hardly a Western tradition these
days either. And once we’ve established a relationship with our
loyal clients, we are always there for them. Not something you
will find at a Chinese market geared to tourists.
So, until next time, here’s to guanxi - between you and us.
Corbins’ clients mean the world to us; it’s what our business is
all about. Give us the chance to prove it to you. You won’t be
disappointed.
For your success,
Team Corbin
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