China's UNKNOWN Ethnic Minority - The She People | EP.1
Fresh not-Shanghai air Get out of my way car! Get out of my view! Hi everyone, my name is Will My name is Artem And welcome to Celebrating the world China's edition Recently Western media has been bombarded with anti-Chinese messages in my opinion this is not an objective view of the Chinese people so the great majority of people in China are still really, really poor I'm David Feinberg and VBS sent me to China with a camera to film the dirtiest place on the planet it's all very one sided, and in our opinion this is causing a second wave of yellow peril And the future of the United States And the future of China doesn't just affect those two countries it affects all of us We are not myth-breakers we don't want to focus on governments, countries and institutes the goal of our TV show is to explore and show different cultures and it doesn't matter actually which country they're related because we are all people, and we have the same emotions they have the same problems the same happiness The real world, the real China so China has the biggest population in the world as you probably know there's 56 ethnicities and 55 ethnic minorities the main ethnic group is Han people, which you all probably know but there are still millions of people that belong to ethnic minorities and they have their own cultures, their own languages, own traditions so we decided to start the pilot episode with one of these ethnic minorities Now we looked on the map to see where the closest one is to Shanghai and we found one, it's called SheZu - the She people So we realized that it was important to bring other people with different skills into this project So we asked some of our talented friends what they thought they expected from this journey What is important right now when I'm travelling I'm actually looking for the place where I can make something by myself but in an ancient way, how they did it like for a million years traditional way any ethnic clothing -yeah Yeah I'm like interested in I love to like dress up and learn about the history and the culture This is what people wore in the palace so this is also not reflective of how people dressed outside of the palace So this is what they call 'imperial clothing' like these outfits are Han clothing 93% of Chinese population is ethnic Han and then when people think about like oh what kind of traditional ethnic clothing you have a lot of people only think about qipao (cheongsam) that wasn't in fashion or in existence until 1920's so that's 100 years history, that's it but people can't think back deeper because there hasn't been enough like emphasis or education we also wanted to find a way to film it so it wasn't really boring like one of them governmental promotional videos at the same time we don't want to be shallow and not that deep like many travel vloggers If we just make documentary it's not like interesting so we make challenges, always the whole thing is about challenges challenges for us (Artem and Will) is like to make it all together and try local what local do for business like tea picking or like cooking the local food, or like- through living with them, giving them more... making them more personable to westerners who don't really have an understanding of China there is no plan, that's the plan! we're just gonna go there So luckily we convinced them to come with us and in 2 days we set off on our adventure Alright we're kind of late, so we're gonna have to move fast 他们在哪？Where are they? I don't know why I spoke Chinese then I'm nervous! We're late! look at everyone queuing up already Hello, I have arrived Hello, welcome and the other guy is... I don't know where he is He's on his way I hope... look how nervous you look yesterday I was nervous on purpose I have amazing intuition the other cameraman isn't here yet so... Xu Hao where are you? we're gonna get on the train first and hope he arrives in time where are you? you're still on the metro?? Hurry up we're about to board you don't need to print your ticket, just come here he's here! he's here! that was a bit close wasn't it? that was so close... alright let's go
so we're on the train on the way to LiShui so we're on the train on the way to LiShui Train attendant: does anyone need breakfast? She's asking if we want some breakfast No He's breaking the rules, you need to wear a mask oh yeah, sh*t it's the law is it? Yeah. She didn't say anything Yeah but yeah, that's rude Woah! Yeahhh that's cool so we're in HangZhou East Station so our cameraman bought the wrong tickets and at the last minute we couldn't buy a direct ticket so we had to do a transfer in HangZhou we had 30 minutes to get from platform 1 to platform 2 which we thought should be super fast but because of coronavirus, it wasn't so easy. why is it red?? channel for overseas personnel but our train is about to leave fill the forms we had to queue up, give them our passport information get our temperatures taken get a picture taken and then get our passports checked again this is just the passport holder I'm Russian Russian? Yeah yeah yeah Sorry but we're in a bit of a rush I've talked my way into boarding a train before after the gate has closed Really? Wow like it's literally at the very end oh no -hurry time to run! We made it within like 30 seconds that was close It could be a seperate episode about how you travel in situation of coronavirus in China it could be popular we filled out so many documents just to get this thing we could have just printed that out at home and it says 'transfer' you two don't stand too close to one another (for temperature reading) Still have my passport so now we need to show our health QR code they have it for every city so here's a LiShui city health QR code Is it red? No He's renting a car now (someone is scanning his ID) where is Xiao Ma? I dunno, he should be here No He's late He sends us location This is Xiao Ma, our friend You wanna get in the car or what you sayin'? Park up first we need to put things in there You (Xiao Ma) go with the two beauties here Yo Will when we get to Jingning what do you want to do first? Let's get something to eat first then put our stuff somewhere? Eat first or check in to the hotel first? Eat first? I'm not even sure where we're staying yet Let me put off my mask and Hi, I'm the Mother of Dragons I believe I'm Xenia, I'm from Russia, I'm a fashion designer ex fashion designer, right now I'm an upcyclist and I do upcycling denim, jeans and all the types of denim fabric clothes into the wearable and cool products Hello, I'm Carol I'm Chinese Canadian I work as a freelance interpreter and I also make digital content podcasts and videos Don't film me?! So we come to LiShui LiShui railway station It's the closest one to Jingning SheZu Autonomous county and we need to drive around 1 hour What I'm always surprised about when I come to the countryside of China is the infastructure of the roads and the bridges and the tunnels It's actually better than where I live in the UK Like the infrastructure is amazing It's interesting. We've just passed 3 km tunnel or smth like that
And if in Russia we do this in rural area, all the country will know this They will be so proud. We have been building this tunnel for like 10 years And now it's a great opening. While China opens this kind of tunnels every day around whole the country Although we live in the same area Us Han people and She people have a different way of living, and even language In Han society the man is the master of the house In She society women are more valued than men I don't think I ever met a group of people that live in like in a martiarchy kind of society. Or I think it's passed a long on the female line
Yeah, feminists activists don't come to this area You have nothing to do here True So for surnames do the children follow after their Mother for She people? Yes they take on their Mothers last name Super interesting So cool What are the big 4 surnames for the She People? Lei, like thunder Last name 'Pan', like 'bowl' Last name Zhong, like 'alarm' And ‘Lan' (blue) and 'Lan' (orchid) four surnames and two homonyms Obviously he is not - Everything in one name? I guess. I don't know, but yeah, you can ask people for their last name and you can kinda tell if they are from ethnic minority or not, if they're from here When did you come to China? I'm in China for 9 years - Wow, 9 years! Yeah, I beleive I'm gonna turn 10 years this summer Oh, my Gosh. A decade in China! Yeah, the time is just fly like.. I can get into the jail if they will know what I actually did 9 years ago I arrived to China ti make a fake Victoria's secret show So it means that...imagine the show on the stage with all the costumes and beatiful ladies. So our company brought 10 models
Me as a designer, who gonna copy the whole show. Like 1 to 1 And run the show around of China. In night clubs, KTVs and all this stuff. So that was absolutely hardcore China tour Was it also called Victoria's secret? - Yeah! We had a big bus, Lamborginies, girls in a silk robes They went outside of the clubs, they give their signature They took pictures with guys Yeah, I was just laughing all the time I have a very funny story. We arrived to Beijing And there is one club. It's a Russian club called Chocolate And someone told me that there is cheese, kinda traditional stuff like pancakes with cheese - Serve it in a club? Yeah! They serve it and I said: Ok, let's go there, even at night I just want to have my cheese, I miss cheese and they: ok let's go So I'm with 10 girls, sitting at a big table, and I'm at the end of the table Ordering some food, sitting and waiting for my food and it's exciting And there is a guy, he approached me and he was like: “How much does it cost the left one?” And I was like: Whaaat? Leave me alone! Because all the girls were super super tall, right? Yeah, like a super models and I'm like a pimp! I was with a short hair, in the end of a table I was like: Man, go away! We are just here for cheese, ok? "Yeah, no problem, just how much is it? You know like " Victoria's secret show! Pink, all this feathers, like stones, working at night and China, China. China...Not China like Shanghai, Beijing China But real China, like this one. And that was actually very interesting
and I'm very thankful that that was the way how I actually learned about China Turn left in 10 meters Alright we have arrived in Jingning, I'm gonna get out your side What's wrong? Chocolate melted and it got on my butt looks like I've pooped looks like I had a little accident I just took his temperature, what's the standard again? Who's? Who? Who's got the temperature of 37.1? It's his Do it again, look again alright? 37.1 isn't normal *beep* Do it again *beep* It's still 37 Bro, he's over 37 degrees Eh Dangerous! -He's 37.2 Uh oh... Did you film it? It's probably too hot Yeah it's too hot Go sit over there for a while and chill out Go and sit over there for a while Take your clothes off No just chill for a bit one of the cameramen has a temperature of 37 so they're making him wait cause you know in China the moment you shouldn't have a temperature that high so it's probably because he just go out of the car and he's hot but they're not gonna let us go into the hotel before it drops down so you know, safety precautions, safety first *blows on forehead* you scared the crap out of us okay that's nice So it's normal now yeah? A person like that (with a high temperature) is terrifying So we can go first and you can help us register Ok you can put your passports here 'cause they take a while to register in the system His is fast cause he's got a Chinese ID Let's go to the 3rd floor Have you got - the passports are still there right? Yes yes yes, let's go Oh yeah that's not too bad Better than last time How much is this? It's 130 RMB which is like 20 dollars? Yeah - 20 dollars - that's cheap That's super cheap Russian: Wait I will try now, yeah one second Ah f**k, sorry What's that? - I need 10 minutes Wait, what for? For radio, for interview with Russian radio They want to talk about the coronavirus in China and how China is back to normal, and I need 10 minutes, sorry Can you hear me? Yes I got it If Zoom would had any problems we'll call you on the phone Ok good, 8:35 in 10 minutes Ok thank you F**k they're livestreaming after 9 minutes and it will be for 10 minutes Should we go and I'll be doing it on the way - yeah that'll look cool Like we're gonna get lunch so you could do it near where we're eating But it's after 7 minutes That's ok We're looking for - Lunch! We have 2 types of noodles Do you want beef noodles or -This one? -Noodles with soy beans? This one -This one? - Yeah -Ok Because it's afternoon, so most restaurants and cafes are closed now Because lunch time is over so we just have two options Noodles or noodles Oh, nice! Let's take noodles! Good choice You want spicy yeah? A little spicy - Little spicy alright Me too, I'll have the same Two vermicelli soups I want one too! Three! -Three Vermicelli soups One of them don't put any coriander or onion in it Oh one of them doesn't want coriander or onion Want it a bit spicy yeah? Do you have anything vegetarian? She doesn't eat meat. She doesn't eat meat? -She can't eat meat What about some of your cold dishes? Yeah we have some cold dishes you can get some noodles and add some cold dishes (usually vegetarian) So fish, it can be fish Or you can get some of the fish yu (fish in Chinese) They don't have any fish Or I think right next door there's malatang (spicy numbing hot [soup]) Just next door, cause she only eats vege's I think they will be able to do it next door Okay you can have a look Excuse me, do you have any vegetarian soups? Or a light soup as she doesn't eat meat because because -a fully vegetarian soup? What do you usually have for the soup ingredients? You mean noodle soup? I mean what soup do you use in malatang? Oh Malatang? There's no meat in it Oh there isn't? -Yeah What's the soup made from? Oh it's peppers, peeled beans, and some of our own dishes Ok this is really a vege one -yeah okay Anything you pick with these are malatang So it's vegetables -I'll turn the lights on for you Malatang is all cooked with canola oil Canola oil? -Yeah It's all cooked with vegetable oil -there's no pig fat Canola oil -There's a bowl there tell her to grab the food herself This and this and you just pick up whatever you want and if you want noodles just pick whichever noodle types that you'd like We can actually survive here, no worry All my friends are vegetarians Beautiful bamboo and tons of greens Enough yeah? -Yeah -Okay good 22 yuan So we just found a master of 'She Medicine' 'She' as in the ethnic minority and they have a different type of medicine than they do in the rest of China So we're gonna contact this guy and then go out hunting for local Chinese medicine Hello, is that Master Lei? I'm Ma's friend and he already said to you that we're coming over soon and pick medicine with you, right? We'll arrive in around an hour, if you need to prepare anything Ok so when we arrive I'll give you a call Okay thank you, bye bye Come to us - I'm sorry I have a challenge Honestly speaking I have to tell you, guys. I have a challenge
I have to wear red lipstick for one week Why? - Why? This is the challenge. And I can't skip from it. So mountains, forests -that sounds like an easy challenge? If I should do this then it would be weird No, it's not easy it's non-stop you know? Where are we going? So you and me we are going to try traditional She - She medicine She people medicines -traditional Chinese ethnic... No, Chinese ethnic minority medicine While girls, Carol and Xenia they are going -move up the way So while girls going to know more about the She people culture She people elements so they can create something new tomorrow Some designs Actually we didn't have the plan that's why we cannot describe in detail We want to just explore it, this is a new place for us Bye bye! Bye camera! These are the last names that we just learned on the car So this is Pan Lan Lei and Zhong So these are the four distinct last names of the She people And this, this character right here Is She, S-H-E, She Read with me~ She I mean it's not really a nationality it's more like an ethnic minority As defined in China, so let's go China She People Museum So we just have to scan this? -Follow us And I follow their official account Tada~ Getting more followers, that's it It's not necessary That's right more followers Look, it is embroidery by men! It's not by women but traditionally it is done by men I'm telling you this place is upside-down! Guys will take care of the babies and women will go and do farm work We should move here, right? Fresh, not Shanghai air Get out of my way car! Get out of my view! So now we're gonna go look for - how's the village called? It's called Huang Shan Tou In the middle of frigging nowhere, and we're gonna look for a medicine guy Who can take us to find some local medicine which we've heard He lives around here, not sure where His name is Master Lei, we heard from locals that he's an amazing guy who do not Chinese but She people medicine in particular I think we should check this house - and the place is pretty nice Shall we go check see if he's in here? Master Lei! Are you here? Hello, does Master Lei live here? -Who? -Master Lei He's up there -Thanks, how far walk? Just 100m -Nice, thanks That was very friendly Actually here no one wearing masks already But because we are foreigners so probably we are first wearing them and when we see they are OK with us then we can take it off Because a lot of people are still afraid of foreigners (corona virus) even though foreigners can literally not enter the country now The last time a foreigner entered the country was over a month ago Yeah -So right now the safest people in China are foreigners Oh this is bamboo right! Bamboo forest! -Oh yeah that will be cool We have arrived at Huang Shan Tou, looking for you now Right We're by a 'Tourist reception center' There's literally like no-one here so how are we supposed to find him? We even can't ask the road (way) Excuse me, do you know where the She medicine master is? She Medicine is round the corner -Over there? Just outside that way -That way? Straight down? -Next to the road? Down there and then left End of the path then turn left? -Down there Okay, thank you Do you wanna go in there? We need to find, we haven't much time and we cannot find the guy There's a picture of Xi Jinping over there It's like on the walls It's interesting before like only Mao Zedong on the walls of people No Jiang Zemin, no Hu Jintao, never But President Xi now everywhere The love him Interesting I couldn't imagine myself putting like Boris Johnson on my wall It's not gonna happen We are blind look at this! We crossed this place a few times and here like So actually this is a place where they do this She people medicine Is it open? -Probably there will be a party here otherwise why do they need these Anyone here? There's no-one here Shall we wait? See if someone comes? Yeah let's wait I think it's not polite just come here Let's go out Let's wait for him outside This needs at least... Is this..? Oh sh** that is so heavy I've heard about this, this is -This is bamboo roots It's young bamboo roots, but this one is salty It looks like fish Yeah I think they put something, it's fish! No it's not fish -It's bamboo? It's bamboo -They put this in some stuff then it -White paint? This is like Tinder but for back in the days You have your line of eligible bachelors and on the otherside are the potential ladies that are meeting And then you would sing to each other and you would try to, you know Couple off because of the things that you sing to each other I'm ready to get married It's super interesting that although we call these people 'She People' They call themselves 'Shan Ha' people, or 'Shan Ha' ethnicity And that's how they refer to themselves And the language that they speak they call it 'Shan Ha Hua' And Xiao Ma mentioned to us earlier 'Shan Ha' what it means is 'A guest of the mountains', so they really see themselves basically A guest of the land that they occupy so it's super interesting This is a poster for the village rules which has obviously been put on everyones house And this one's been left here, I guess this guys not home Shen Yang Village Rules and Social Regulations *beep* I think that's him Is this Master Lei? Hello -Hello my name is William Sorry to keep you guys waiting -No worries We want to learn your She Medicine, what is it about? And will we have the opportunity to pick some with you I can only explain it very simply to you -That's totally fine I'm uneducated can't go into much detail, my mandarin isn't great Doesn't matter we can understand you clearly Where do you usually go to pick the medicine? In the mountains -Can we go find some? -Sure Let's go get some medicine picking tools We go to his home? -We could get in the back Can we get in the back? -Of course So comfy -So we found Master Lei and now we are going to his home to take some instruments and devices -some tools And go up to the mountain to get some grass, some medicine grass We have no idea!
2021-04-20 15:18
