Somebody to Love， 18 Holes， Domestic Drawers，and Ponzi Possibilities

The gaps between rich and poor， urban and rural， even young and old are perhaps nowhere more prevalent than in the world of dating. Tradition remains， but the modern world has its part to play in the peculiar realm of courting in the Middle Kingdom. The old ladies trying to hock their sons and daughters by the roadside with signs are （not quite） gone but have been largely replaced by the cool， cold world of the online profile. But， those in rural areas still rely on the grace and connections of a professional matchmaker caused in no small part by the country’s gender imbalance. Lastly， we look at the pick-up artists of China， those who claim ultimate knowledge of how to go home with company at the end of an evening， and while their methods and certainly their intellectual ancestors for this slimy movement come from abroad， some are adding a Chinese flavor to this distasteful dish （see page 24）.

From hitting on women to hitting dimply balls， we move to the subject of golf in China. It took a bit of a beating from the corruption campaign， but it’s still going strong—albeit with an odd look to the future. Aside from some strange looking pants and a great deal of time， there are a few difficulties in finding and maintaining what has always been viewed as the rich man’s game （see page 32）.

Speaking of the rich， China also plays host to a number of mind-bendingly elaborate and far-reaching Ponzi schemes， with few opportunities for the scammed to have their concerns addressed. Robert Foyle Hunwick looks at a few of the larger Ponzi schemes—including the nearly unbelievable cheek of Ezubao， China’s premier Ponzi analog—uncovered in China， the pervasiveness of such practices all over the country， and what the government is doing to keep the pyramid pumas from the gate （see page 38）.

We also look at a sector that has been perhaps slightly overlooked in the business pages of China: underwear，specifically lingerie. For the longest time， Chinese customers asked where their skimpy lingerie came from， hoping that it was from somewhere exotic and charming， but the Middle Kingdom itself is delving into homegrown teddies，bras， and garters to some considerable success. Perhaps the most indicative is that of the dudou， which some claim has been knocking about since the third century BCE in one form or another. The market in China certainly exists， but can domestic manufacturers win over public trust and sentiment to house the nethers of the nation （see page 44） ？However， if your tastes run more toward the artistic， check out our Gallery section for two pieces from two outstanding modern artists （see page 52） or hit up our Dragon’s Digest section for the story of a boy， a bow， and a tale of revenge that makes the blood run cold （see page 10）. Or， if you’re still in the mood for literature， check out Pioneer where we have an exclusive interview with Cao Wenxuan， this year’s Hans Christian Andersen Award winner （see page 86）. This issue is also bursting with interesting historical tidbits， from the Socialist King of—well， turn to page 22 to figure out his royal title—to the ghosts of a Tianjin church （see page 68）. And， as usual， we’ve got the regular news，views， reviews， language， and discussions you’ve come to expect from us here at TWOC. Enjoy.

Managing Editor

Tyler Roney