THURSDAY, August 27

"Where East Eats West" @ the Bookworm
In "Where East Eats West: The Street-Smarts Guide to Business in China," author Sam Goodman boils down China business basics into easy-to-digest lessons, from the perspective of an entrepreneur who's been in China since 1995. Starts at 7:30 p.m. No cover charge.

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FRIDAY, August 28

"Gay Plays" (in English) @ the Bookworm
Two short plays about time, life, and lasting friendships by American playwright Lonely Christopher, presented by Small Anchor Press. Student and pre-sale discounts. A selection of Small Anchor Press's bilingual, limited-edition handbound short-story and poetry books will also be available. All proceeds go to Da Shan International. Starts at 7 p.m. Tickets: 15 to 50 RMB (SMS 15108471450 for discounted presale tickets)

Silent Resentment @ Little Bar
Goth-metal sextet Silent Resentment hail from Beijing and released their first album Death is Utopia in June. With femme fatales keyboardist White Rose and vocalist Libido backed by heavily distorted guitar grinds, they offer a theatrical, dramatic show. You can hear them here. Beijing-based mixed foreign and Chinese rock 'n' roll quartet Chaoziran opens. Starts at 8 p.m. Entrance: 25 RMB

Funk to Folk @ Machu Picchu
Funk to folk night with DJ Iws from Finland. Starts at 9 p.m. No cover charge.

Gramophonetics @ Le Café Panam(e)
Trash pop with DJs Marty B. & Easy Lee. Champagne specials. Starts at 10 p.m. No cover charge.

Acupuncture Records (针刺疗法) China Tour @ Panda Club
House & techno from Beijing featuring Acupuncture Records DJs Wengweng and X.L.F. Starts at 10 p.m. No cover charge.

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SATURDAY, August 29

Cycling Tour to Ping'le Old Town @ Tianfu Square
Departs from the Mao statue at Tianfu Square at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and returns at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Ride is approximately 103 kilometers roundtrip and will pass through Shuangliu, Xinjin, and Qionglai. For English-language information, contact Hans at 13880710998.

Hash House Harriers 300 Weekend Trip @ Mengding Mountain
Weekend getaway in celebration of the Chengdu Hash House Harriers 300th run. Bus departs 9 a.m. from the Gloria Regent (Tongzilin Bei Lu and Renmin Nan Lu) on Saturday and returns Sunday. RMB300 for Hash members; RMB350 for others. Includes transportation, accommodation, meals, drinks, T-shirt, two runs, entry to the mountain. Seats limited to 50 people. Pre-registration required.

MJ Flash Mob @ Chunxi Lu
A flash mob is part-public stunt, part-performance art meant to grab the attention of passersby. In cities around the world, groups gather and perform a pre-planned action for a specified period of time. Previous flash mobs have included the Worldwide Pillow Fight and London's Silent Disco. Saturday would have been Michael Jackson's 51st birthday, and flash mobs around the world are gearing up for a massive re-creation of "Thriller." Chengdu's will take place at Zhongshan Guangchang on Chunxi Lu at 4 p.m. The organizers hope up to 100 people will join in, and to that end, they've created a long video to teach potential participants the steps of the dance.

Village Dogs Howlin for the Moon bears @ Shamrock Bar
Animals Asia Foundation founder Jill Robinson gives a presentation on the moon bears, plus vegetarian buffet, live music from Hong Kong band Village Dogs, and raffle. Starts at 7 p.m. Entrance: 35 RMB or 100 with buffet

"Gay Plays" (in Chinese) @ the Bookworm
Two short plays about time, life, and lasting friendships by American playwright Lonely Christopher, presented by Small Anchor Press. Student and pre-sale discounts. A selection of Small Anchor Press's bilingual, limited-edition handbound short-story and poetry books will also be available. Plus stick around for Cara Phillips' weekly reportoire of jazz, rock, and classic showtunes. All proceeds go to Da Shan International. Starts at 7 p.m. Tickets: 15 to 50 RMB (SMS 15108471450 for discounted presale tickets)

Burning Scrap Iron @ Little Bar
Garage punk with Beijing band Incisors and opening band local indy garage rockers the Hit. Starts at 8 p.m. Entrance: 25 RMB

Will Spill the Last @ Hemp House
Dance party with DJ Emcore from Beijing spinning tech-house and minimal. Starts at 10 p.m. Entrance: 20 RMB.

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SUNDAY, August 30

Soccer: Chengdu Blades vs. Qingdao @ Chengdu Stadium
Starts at 3:30 p.m. Entrance: 20 to 80 RMB

Liang Zi @ Elephant Bar
(亮子) Live folk with opening band Mahou (马猴). Starts at 9 p.m. Entrance: 15 RMB

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COMMUNITY EVENTS - ONGOING

Major League Baseball Park @ Zizhu Plaza
Mini-baseball tournament, pitching machine and batting cage, official uniforms and gear. Sponsored by Helios. Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bus departs from location on map twice daily, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Free to attend.

Running Group
Chengdu runners tackle a scenic city route of approximately 5K, usually from the Huoshui Park near the former amusement park along the river down to the Jah Bar. Meets every Thursday, 7 p.m. For English-language information, contact Hans at 13880710998.

First Aid Training @ Red Cross Sichuan Province (Yushuang Lu, Red Cross, 4th Fl.)
Saturdays and Sundays. Registration fee: RMB 110. For the enrollment form, click here. For English-language information, contact Hans at 13880710998.

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ART EXHIBITIONS

CLOSING: "China Narratives": Fourth Chengdu Biennale @ the International Exhibition Center. Showcasing hundreds of paintings, sculptures, photographs, and installations by hundreds of local and national established and emerging artists. Read more here. Entrance: 20 RMB. Closes Friday.

CLOSING: "Black Screen" @ Re-C Art Space
(黑屏) Artists: He Yunchang, Ma Yongfeng, Shao Yinong & Mu Chen, Wang Qingsong, Wu Chengdian. Closes Friday.

CLOSING: Wang Xin Jiang Nan Landscapes @ Sichuan Art Museum
Watercolor landscapes. Closes Saturday. No entrance fee.

"Image Spirit": Contemporary Art @ K Gallery
Featuring works of He Duoling, Zhou Chunya, Ye Yongqing, Guo Wei, Shi Jinzhen, Liu Hong, Chen Wenling, Luo Fahui, Wang Chengyun, He Gong, Zhang Xiaotao, Pang Maokun, Tang Ke, Li Changlong, and Li Guo. Through September 16.

"Our Olympics" @ 82 Gallery
(我们的奥运). The 2008 Beijing Olympics in review. Outdoor exhibit featuring Olympics photography by Jiang Xiaowen (姜晓文), Wang Ruilin (王瑞林), Lei Yuandong (雷远东), and Leo Chen (陈新宁). Runs through September 27.

"Obstruction" @ A Thousand Plateaus
Multimedia exhibit exploring "art not as representation but as obstruction," featuring the works of artists Chen Qiulin （陈秋林）, Guan Yinfu （关音夫）, Xiao Xiong （肖雄）, Yu Ji （余极）, and Zhang Hui （张慧）. Through September 30.

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FOOD AND DRINK PROMOTIONS

Pasta, Wine, Pizza Specials @ Vera Napoli
All pasta dishes half-price all day every Tuesday. All pizzas half-price all day every Saturday. All French Bordeaux wines half-price all day every Friday. Buy one, get one free Tsingtao beer every day. Through August 31. Upcoming: Buy a steak (RMB48 to 138) and get any menu item free (up to 50% of the steak price) all weekend long.

Buy 2, Get 1 Free @ Dave's Oasis
All drinks and pizza, daily through September 20. Plus 10-kuai beer and shots 'til 10 p.m. every Saturday.

Half-Price Baked Goods @ Peter's Tex Mex
All locations. After 8 p.m.

Shamrock Drink Specials @ Shamrock
Coffees, fruit juices, hot drinks. 5 RMB to 15 RMB. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Plus 20 RMB lunch specials, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

40% Off Your Next Entree @ Sunflower Cafe, Del Mar, Grandma's Kitchen
Purchase lunch between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and receive a 40% discount coupon for any main course. From August to December 2009.

Ladies' Night @ Mooney's
Free martinis for ladies, all night every Thursday.

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UPCOMING

Wild Justice, Animal Emotions, and Why They Matter @ the the Bookworm
Ecology and biology professor, Roots and Shoots ambassador, and author Marc Bekoff will discuss the moral lives of animals and the emotions that are key to moral intelligence. Wednesday, September 2, 7:30 p.m. No cover charge.

Boss Ma Jazz Band @ the Hemp House
Live jazz standards and improvisations with one of Chengdu's favorite jazz bands.
Wednesday, September 2, 10 p.m. No cover charge.

Your Secondhand Life @ Hemp House
Chengdu's biggest secondhand, crafts, and flea market and community day. Snacks, drinks, vendors. Shop, sell, or swap. Sunday, September 6, 2 p.m. No cover charge.

"Notes by Spirit" @ Re-C Art Space
(灵性的笔记） Featuring artists Feng Dekui (冯德奎), Guo Yan (郭岩), Ma Jie (马杰), Xue Bowen (薛博文), Zhong Lei (仲磊), Zheng Xiaoyu (郑翛予). Opens Saturday, September 12 at 3 p.m. and runs through October 10.

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Shouldn't your event be listed here? Free weekly event listings only on GoChengdoo! Send date, time, location, price, and a brief description to chengdoo.events [AT] gmail [DOT] com. Deadline to be included in our weekly e-mail and weekend preview post is 12 midnight every Wednesday.

With "Chinese Valentine's Day" in the air, here comes the story of "The Most Handsome Trash-digger." The story, widely reproduced on Chinese websites, seems to have been first published in the Chengdu Shangbao. Our rough translation is below:

"The most handsome trash-digger seems as cool as a movie star; by scavenging, he's been able to travel to over 10 cities"

With an elegant way of speaking, standing around 1.8 meters tall, a figure resembling that of movie star Tong Chun-Chung (汤镇宗) ...

Recently, the area around Moziqiao at Shenxianshu has been haunted by a young trash-picker, attracting a lot of double-takes from passersby. After his photo appeared on online discussion forums, netizens bestowed upon him an unparalleled nickname: "The Most Handsome Scavenger of All Time."

After some minor setbacks, this reporter finally tracked down this handsome "post-80s" master of the bin. By this time, he had already traveled to more than 10 cities all over the country, just by scavenging recyclables out of the trash. He deftly collects bottles and scraps and when he amasses some money he'll go off to another city for more travels.

Posted online, his photo calls for close scrutiny

"This person is often around Shenxiansu, with an air of refinement, big eyes, hair in tight curls, quite handsome...," "From the back he looks like Tony Leung, from the side he looks like Hu Jun, from the front he looks like Tong Chun-Chung." On August 20, a post titled "The Most Handsome Trash-Picker of All Time" appeared on the Tianya Chengdu forums. The poster, "Qing Qian," related that on the street he had seen a handsome trash digger and used his mobile phone to take two photos of the scavenger. The post immediately caused a stir among netizens: "He's even wearing gloves, how professional!" "Hello! Handsome!" and even that classic line from Stephen Chow's movie was used by netizens to describe his appearance: "A man man like you, just like fireflies in the dark, as bright as that, as numerous as that, you with your eyes so sullen, with the air of one breath you betray yourself."

One moment, the netizens were discussing the authenticity of the post; the next, they were commenting on the identity of the trash-digger. Some believed this "handsome brother" is really living life, others believe it's completely disgusting, but most said that if this person is really a scavenger depending on his own two hands to make money, he can't be faulted. "Labor is honorable, just because one is handsome he cannot scavenge?!"

His life: walking and scavenging is OK"

Right around the same time the "Most Handsome Trash-Picker of All Time" post exploded, coincidentally a woman in the city had announced to this reporter that she too had spotted a "handsome and elegant trash digger" on the street. The morning before yesterday, with the woman leading the way to Mozi Qiao, this reporter finally spotted this handsome trash picker. Height, about 1.8 meters, wearing a khaki fisherman's hat, grey short-sleeved shirt, and a pair of ankle-length trousers he cut himself. At this moment, his hands covered in white gloves, he was picking empty bottles out of a trash bin. Occasionally, when a piece of trash would fall outside the bin, he would bend over and return it to the bin. The brim of his hat was angled low, at the moment he straightened back up his face was revealed and the reporter couldn't help but exclaim, "He really looks like Tong Chun-Chung!"

As far as the reporter's visit, the young man seemed completely caught off guard, his clean face instantly turning red. He said, my family name is Liu, I'm from Ningxia, and I was born in 1984. When he heard that netizens had dubbed him "The Most Handsome Trash Digger of All Time," he said with a smile, "People have told me I'm good-looking, but I'm just a trash digger, how embarrassing!" Liu said he depends on his own two hands to make a living, he does what he wants to do, it's a lot better than depending on his family.

Li said his mother has passed away and his father and younger brother tend to the family farm. After finishing middle school, he started venturing from home. At that time his dream was "to see and walk in every place in the country." Two years before, he arrived in the famous "land of abundance" Chengdu, sat in teahouses, strolled on Chunxi Lu, and fully enjoyed the slow-paced lifestyle. But he's still never told his relatives that he's digging through rubbish bins. "Actually, I could look for work, but I quite like this kind of wandering lifestyle, I don't think it's so difficult!"

Every day, Liu spends most of his time walking the streets, from 8 in the morning until 10 at night, from Yihuan Lu to the south of the city, learning which bottles and recyclable scraps to pick out of the trash bins along the side of the road, eating the cheapest food he can find for his three meals. Picking up bottles, Liu wears headphones so he can listen to news and music on the radio, and sometimes he goes to watch the Xinhua broadcasts on the big screen on Zongfu Lu's Shudu Tower.

His path, traveling by scavenging

The market price of an old crumpled bottle is about the same everywhere, usually not more than 2 kuai. Yet by picking up these crumpled bottles one by one, Liu has already been to more than 10 of the country's cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Accompanying him on his travels are some of his most treasured possessions: a train or bus ticket from each city he's been to. The next destination Liu has set his eye on is the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau; to get there, he plans to save up 10,000 kuai in Chengdu, bottle by bottle. When he's saved enough to buy some simple equipment to prepare for his trip, he'll set off, "I'm not far from my goal."

Liu's biggest dream is to go to Hong Kong to see the nightlife. "A few years ago, when I was picking up bottles in Shenzhen, I went to the port of Luohu just to gaze across the bay at Hong Kong. Looking at it only made me yearn for it; I hope to get there one day when I've saved enough money." Liu said if he starts to dread this kind of lifestyle, he'll stop, and try out the lifestyle of the rest of the post-80s generation.

Those who know him said with some envy that the fact that he's so good-looking might have to do with the fact that people sometimes stop Liu on the street to offer him some money, but this upright young man always declines. In the eyes of the other scavengers, Liu is not the same, he just likes this kind of lifestyle. They said, Liu is very concerned with his personal hygiene and spends some time every day to wash his hair and clean his fingernails. "Although his face he's a rubbish picker, he doesn't litter."

Results of Chengdu QQ's online poll (as of August 26, 2009)

Do you approve of this kind of traveling and scavenging lifestyle?
I approve. Unrestrained freedom (24.55%)
I disagree. What a waste of ability and social resources (2.53%)
I understand, after all, everyone has his/her own way of living (66.79%)
What a lot of fuss about nothing (6.14%)

The story is attributed to reporter Li Tianxiao and trainee Wei Hui.
Image: Chengdu QQ