Interview with Arseny "Xieming" Popov

Arseny Popov . Bloggers know him as Xieming . Podcasters are like MusChina . Kitists are like a good guy and the creator of the first in Russia Chinese book store “ Shu Ba ”.
I interviewed this interview with Arseny in March 2006, a whole year has passed and it has not yet been published. Under the grand opening of Magazeti2.0 , I found this interview and asked Arseny to correct it. And meet. Exclusive - the first interview in the Magazine. Interview with Arseny Popov!

(The interview was conducted via email and ICQ).

Starring:

Interviewee:
Arseny al-Semin Laovai ibn-Lakai Gennadyevich Popov

Interviewer:
Alexander "The Jade Imperial Seal Horse" Maltsev

Prologue

03/26/2006 0:51:55, Ma Yuxi , Added you to your contact list
03/26/2006 1:19:43, xieming , I added you to my contact list. Ma Yuxi (Ma) : We here with my girlfriend felt a great fanfare of China on television. Apparently, they are preparing for the year of China. On NTV, 80% of the mention of China: here Putin is in Shaolin, here is Chinese with Chuck Norris lights, and now ... the film “50 Days in Beijing” has begun! Horror What is going on ... Now in the film are American soldiers. The commander teaches:
- "Yes, in Chinese," Shi "!".
- Everyone repeats, "Shi !!!".
- No in Chinese - "Shoot"!
- Sew !!!
At this point, the Chinese lesson is over.

Arseny Popov (A.P.) : Wow! So you are in MSC ?!
')
Ma : No, in the City of Eternal Spring, aka Changchun

A.P. : Ah, the satellite is ... Old I, unmodern.
*

Ma : Hello, Arseny-Laovai Gennadich Xieming!

A.P. : Good evening! You can just call me "Arseny".

Ma : To the evening, and to whom the second hour of the night!

A.P. : Oh, right. I will not get used to globalization ...

Ma : Honestly, this is my second interview. The first was an impromptu with one Russian progamer (professional player - editor's note).

A.P. : Wildly flattering. And I did only one thing in my life ... in the school wall newspaper.

Ma : I have been interested in one question for a long time: you are called Xieming on LiveJournal, but you yourself, somehow in a podcast, introduced yourself to Le Kai. What is Xieming and what is Le Kai? Two hypostasis?

A.P. : Xieming is my Chinese name; Lackai is one of the nicknames that a Taiwanese friend gave me. In Chinese, “Lekai” can be translated as “joyful and open”, in fact, any Taiwanese will say that “Lekai” is that in Chinese “Changjiao”, that is, long-legged (“long-legged”). So you can also call me "Changjiao".

Ma : Yptyt, it smacks of a split personality ... (and then look and more)

A.P. : Yes, all right, everyone is his ... Who among those who seriously taught Chinese can reproach me for a split? Everyone has a split; so we are saved.

Ma : Didn't they try to give you a “Chinese-specific” Russian name, before Xieming, for example: Aerxienuo?

A.P. : Tried, a-er-xie-ni. But Se-min stuck faster. I had a “Se-min” in my residence permit, and in all university documents, even in short, about the end.

Ma : How did you get to China for the first time?

A.P. : The first time - uninterestingly went. In 1997, in Harbin, almost by accident, something like tourism, for a whole month.

Ma : Aha! Shuttle, I suppose, worked up ?!

A.P. : No, the shuttle did not work out;)) And a year later I went to study - according to the state change to Jinan; Stayed there for the second year, but for my money.

Ma : Tell me more about your student body. Have you been studying in Jinan all the time? How much did you study in total?

A.P. : I don’t know what to tell ... We had quite free conditions: attendance was almost free, in 1 room for 1 person (even for “Gunfei” (for students in public exchange - approx. Ed.), Which was then in China rarity), warm and cheap. All the time there from 1998 to 2000.

Ma : What were your first impressions of China? Did your forebodings come true? Or not?

A.P. : Not justified. There was utter cultural shock. Yes, he still has ...

Ma : How did you imagine China before the trip? Probably roof pagodas, a million number of bikes, fights in the style of Bruce Lee on the street?

A.P. A: No, this was not. I thought, on the contrary, everything is calmer and more like us. Although, in general, something very vague in my head was then. I knew, for example, that there are many people, but I could not guess how you feel when you find yourself in so many people. The lack of personal space was also surprising.

Ma : Yeah. And what about your Russian student body?

A.P. : Yes, everything is generally trivial: Eastern University at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1995-2002; Graduate School of the Institute of Oriental Studies, RAS, 2002-2005; after the third course and before the fourth stayed for 2 years in China.

Ma : So who are you by education?

A.P. : Historian. That is, at the university - "a specialist in regional studies in the specialty of regional studies". I still do not understand what it is. It is somewhere in Vladivostok that such a specialty was invented in the 90s, the last century. The implication was that not only specialists in China were being trained, but in general throughout the East.

Ma : So, so ... And to China, to its culture, to language and history, the thrust appeared immediately? Or she manifested gradually?

A.P. : As soon as I started learning the language.

Ma : (Yeah, mine too ...) And where did you go to China? And what places would you like to visit?

A.P. A: Harbin, Beijing, Lanzhou, Xian, Xuzhou, Shanghai and the surrounding area, Guangzhou. I really want to Yunnan and Hong Kong.
For the year, Hong Kong and Taipei were added here - two completely different planets, both between themselves and with respect to mainland China. In Yunnan want more.

Ma : I see you visited a lot of places ... And I, for all my long life in China, only traveled all over the Northeast ... Do you have any favorite cities and places in China?

A.P. : Come on; not so much ... Favorite place is the Peking Bath, about which sino_gyps wrote (Adrey Borsuk is a popular blogger writing about Asia, including China, ed.). Favorite city - Shanghai, no options yet.
Again, the year is not unchanged. Now the beloved city is Hong Kong, and the dream is there for permanent residence.

Ma : Do you have to go to China often?

A.P. : Now - the glory of Confucius, quite often. Once a couple of months, I am. I would travel more often ... yes I would fly every week.

Ma : pulls?

A.P. : Yeah. There is a completely non-aggressive environment. Although a month rolls - and from this you get tired. In general, I am for a change of scenery!

Ma : Oh, yes! Solidarity! Have you been to other countries?

A.P. : No, except for Ukraine and Belarus other countries. That is, I would travel across Europe, but if I choose where to go - to Europe or to China, then definitely to China. I have not gone anywhere so far ... Well, I would go to Egypt, or to Baku, or to Turkey - so, sunbathe. In fact, I just get so tired that I don’t want any cultural rest, only if I lie on the beach ...
Here in a year I went to India. But beyond the beach, there was not much to choose, so you can not count.

Ma : And what country do you miss more often: in Russia or China.

A.P. : Well, where we do not. Now - in China.

Ma : Let's go away briefly from the topic of China, and move on to another, also unifying us, topic - LJ. Is your first magazine xieming? When was it open? Did this magazine originally have a goal?

A.P. : Yes, this is my first blog, which I started three or four years, it seems, back. There was no special purpose - just like a diary. Well, maybe the fact that by that time many of my friends had already acquired a LJ, and it was convenient to read news about them and communicate with them.

Ma : Can you name your favorite ZhZhistov whose records do you read regularly?

A.P. : I have been reading very occasionally for three months now - once a week, and then, what I stumble upon. Before that, I managed to see all my friends at least; But now it is impossible - I missed two days - and skip 200! And favorite ZhZhisty is first of all krga (wife), shapoval (mother), lenka_diary (elder sister), a_sia (younger sister) ...

And then for the year under the bedside…. no more time; LJ the last few months I do not read at all (only on the links from the soap), I rarely write.

Ma : Wow! So to say, "Family-Not-Sorrow"! :)) And what is LJ for you? LiveJournal is ...?

A.P. : Livejournal? In fact, this is of course a cool thing. My LJ for me, besides the function of draining some experiences and other things, is a very convenient tool - ask something there or clarify; yes up to the advertising of my shop "Shu Ba". I do not understand how someone cannot have a LJ (although there are many such friends among my acquaintances). LJ - like a phone, almost. Such a means of communication, and who uses it as such, is another question.

Ma : How did you find out about Magazet?

A.P. : From LJ, of course! :)

Ma : Blogging and podcasting are similar and related phenomena of modern times. How did you come up with the idea to create Muschina - a podcast about Chinese music?

A.P. : I read an article in the Playbill that Yury Saprykin created his own podcast. It explained in some detail what it is and how to do it yourself. I then just laid out a lot of Chinese music in LJ, and felt an interest in this topic.

Ma : And how? Did you like it yourself? Felt a return, a wave of sympathy?

A.P. : I liked it, only doing them for a long time is possible, therefore - rarely.

Ma : Do you give a podcast sometime?
A.P .: Come on)) Do you chibe about Chi Zhiqiang? (迟 志强)

Ma : (Fuck knows who this is ...) I think you chose a very good topic for a podcast. Chinese music for me all the time opens in a new way, even though I have been in China for more than 8 years now.

A.P. : Of course, successful) Yes, we are now in terms of China as pioneers in the Wild West. Information blockade everywhere - everywhere about China one spam and feng shui; quality information about China is very small.

Ma : Give China in MASS! What kind of music do you prefer?

A.P. : A dishonest question: you wrote two lines, and answer me all evening? I love everything!

Ma : Well, there are no special preferences in music style?

A.P. : Nah, by mood. Everything from mother pops to Diamanda Galas and Fred Fries.

Ma : OK. And among the Chinese artists are "favorites"?

A.P. A: Yes, although also a lot. Wang Fei, Lin Di, Cold Fairy Land, Cui Jian, Zhang Chu - this is what is constantly on the shelf. Plus, several unknown and even nameless teams from Shanghai bars.

Here, too, a lot has been added. but there are already several podcasts about it, and I’m preparing the rest - let it be a surprise for now, OK? In general, it is not possible to follow the new Chinese music - too quickly and a lot of things.

Ma : How do you rate the quality of modern Chinese songs? Is the quality of music (arrangement) and Chinese clips high?

A.P. : Yes, definitely high. Of course, shit is everywhere; but in general - quite on the level. In China, there is everything, we just have almost no one knows anything about Chinese music. At best, heard something about Wang Fei; Well, students who studied in China know a dozen or two other names.

Ma : I am personally interested in your opinion about the Chinese group SHE, which you used to do in PR and talk about their “pedophile album design” ... How do you like their work? Is plagiarism a group trick? After all, they rehearse everything: from Mozart (and Salieri) to the VIA "GRA" (as well as songs of some American and European groups) ...

A.P. : Normal deffki, what are you? Earn money; not steamed. My wife and I went to Beijing - so she bought herself boots in their store. Great boots! Anyway, how is it possible in our time to talk about plagiarism? Who is doing something fundamentally new? A century of hyperlinks, what can you do!

Ma : Well, I figured out your musical pieces. And how do you like Chinese cinema?

A.P. : I know him very badly. Here I brought a bunch of alternative Chinese cinema to the store, about which no one here knows anything. There is no time to watch at least one movie. Kar-vaya love.
for the year, not a single Chinese film has ever looked (except, perhaps, the Moody Cloud).

Ma : And your shop is booming! I still have discounts preserved, so I did not have time to use them. How did you even think about opening a bookstore?

A.P. : I wanted, firstly - my own business, secondly - so that it was connected with China (culture, books, music - and not textile fibers and oil), thirdly - I got tired of going to the office. Then the song “Manager” of the Leningrad group came out, and I began to think ... I thought a year and a half - and I did.

Ma : Were there any other tortures before “xieming”, “muschina” and “shu-ba”?

A.P. A: Yes, there was one.

Ma : Did you do it on purpose? You have a podcast - muschina - everyone reads: muscina (man). You have a shop - shuba - well, it is the "fur coat" (clothing).

A.P. : :))) I think that the title should be a bit insanity - so it is better remembered. Although the meaning should also be - but it seems, here it is viewed in both cases.

Ma : Say, do you feel like a celebrity?

A.P. : No, not at all. I feel that there are more friends and even a little more unfamiliar people, but it’s all as if in a "social circle".

Ma : Can you share your plans and ideas of other “Chinese” projects, if any, with Magazheta readers?

A.P. : Yes, with great pleasure. During the year, we opened courses in Chinese painting and Chinese calligraphy at Shuba. Shooting courses from classical Chinese bows, the All-Russian Majiang Federation and the Wang Fei concert in Moscow (the last event, however, may not happen very soon).

Ma : Come on the Sublime? What do you think about the future of China and Russia?

A.P. : I think that if, in the very near future, the citizens of our state do not pull themselves out of that heap of pompous nationalist shit, to which our, say, television, drags them, then in short this way: we are PPC, and we share it. I think that China has overtaken us in almost all respects, and continues to catch up on the rest, and we still sing about Aunt Huy. I think that it is necessary to learn Chinese without any options, and here I will help everyone with “Fur Coat” as soon as I can. Can you imagine, wouldn't the Russians study the Martian, if a billion and a half Martians appeared right next to the border - a super-duper technically developed, friendly, with wildly delicious Martian cuisine ?? !!! Well??! But with the Chinese, that's the way it is now.

Ma : And how do you like the Chinese people? What features do you like and what do you not?

A.P. : Calm is like, and this enchanting non-aggressiveness. Because of this, in China you always feel more comfortable. I don’t like the conservatism of city dwellers, inertia, narrow-mindedness - well, that a young intelligent person in general can, for example, believe all newspapers with a blue eye. But it passes on the sly.

Ma : Do I need to promote the “Chinese” topic on the Internet?

A.P. : Is this a question? Do you have a creative crisis? ;)
Of course you need.

Ma : Who do you think is the best neo-Sinologist? That person who made a great contribution to the development of the “Chinese” Runet? Are there any?

A.P. : Albert Kriskoy (aka papahuhu) and the entire company that organized the Hemisphere. Sat Abhava. Igor Mazharov - on printouts of his article in the Expert on how to negotiate with the Chinese, people still travel to the exhibitions. Alimov, of course. Sino_gyps, who instilled a love for China and Beijing with all his friend lending at least. There is another person who Magazhet did))).
These are the first who remembered - the list is probably incomplete.

Ma : How do you see the future of the “Chinese” Runet?

A.P. : I did not think about it. There will probably be more blogs, more sites for communication (such as hemispheres, only specialized ones). Magazeta will probably have quite a few competitors over time.

Ma : Is it realistic that Magazet 2.0 and Shu Ba will cooperate in the future?

A.P. : Absolutely real. I really hope at least.

Ma : Finally, a couple of personal questions: family, children - are there?

A.P. : There is a son, 5 years old, he does not speak Chinese yet. The family was now can be considered a bachelor.

Ma : In the end, I want to thank you for the opportunity to interview you, apologize for wasting your time and just say great, human “Cese”!

A.P. : Actually, I have to thank you for this ... which I do!

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