(More Star Wras related stuff while being on holiday in China with my Chinese missy: Episode II this time. You can read Episode I somewhere else.

So Hasbro produces all the modern stuff in China nowadays? So tell me, why I haven’t seen a single Star Wars toy in any of the big warehouses in Shijiazhuang today? Shidjawhatthef*ck…Yes I admit, it took me a while to pronounce it correctly too, even a simple word like 'ma' (mother) can turn you into a little family drama when pronounced incorrectly, as it might mean something completely else (horse). Did I just just call my GF's mother a horse-in-law?
Anyway, back to the warehouses, there were Transformers, lots of Manga stuff from Japan, Barbie, Playmobil, LEGO, even a military LEGO rip-off with tanks, aircraft carriers. Star Wars was virtually absent. I guess the modern SW toys are just produced here, but Hasbro doesn’t regard China as a market? Well I can imagine, once you are successful here you have cheap bootlegs all over the place two months later. Why border? Coz I had hoped to get a cheap modern vintage likeBoba with removable rocket here to bring back to Holland. Keep on dreaming.

Though the toys are only produced and not sold here, this doesn't mean Star Wars is not absent in China, oh no dudes, not at all. The Force is strong here!! Even long before '77, Star Wars had already obtained an important position in Chinese cultural and spiritual life (see Episode I). So it was quite smart of G Lucas to release all movies here as well. (proof here). My GF remembers seeing Phantom Menace here in China back in 1999 (not a good start I know, but meanwhile she has seen the original trilogy on DVD too at home, and she liked it much better than all prequel crap. ). That in mind, it would only be a matter of time when I would actually experience the strongly Star Wars influenced inner spirit of modern China. And today, while walking through the city, walking away my rocket boba frustrations, the big moment was suddenly there. There it was, painted on a wall of a local play ground. YEAHHH, Star Wars is out there in modern China!!! And how!!! IMPRESSIVE is an understatement.

A disproportional X-Wing, let's call it a Chinese C-Wing Fighter


Star Destroyer


Somehow the frontshape of this starship resembles an A-Wing, what do u think?




BTW: you saw some funny Star Wars related pics abroad, pls go ahead and post them here!

Recently I have been very lucky to pick up a life size Battle Droid based upon its appearance in Episode I. It was constructed by some skillful engineer students from the Technical University Delft, the Netherlands in the late 90s.

The droid is an fine piece of art work imo, and when standing next to it, you get impressed and even a bit scared by it. No wonder I let him guard my collection while we were on our trip to China.

Battle Droid posing with girlfriend. (Please no remarks abour the dachshund, that was her idea )

WOW! That Battle Droid is amazing! I would love to have that guarding my collection as well.

But seriously how do you expect us not to make comments about the girlfriend holding the "Dachsund Blaster". That picture is just begging for a funny caption contest.

Brad

Have to echo what Brad said: Wow that Battle Droid is amazing!

Marco, what material is it made from? And is it all one-piece or do you have to assemble?

I think the 'Dachsund blaster' is the Lily Ledy version

Oh come on guys, I said no remarks about the dachshund blaster, and what you guys do...

The battle Droid is made from wood, paper and even has some Lego parts to make the head rotating. Apart from the head which can be disassembled it is constructed in one piece.

Cool stuff. Lovin' that battle droid. No surprise the head comes off!!!

Last Thursday my girlfriend and I visited the China Central Television (CCTV) Tower in Beijing. It is the number 9 on the list of towers worldwide with a height of 405 meters. At 234 meters there is a restaurant where we were having our lunch, enjoying the slowly rotating view of Beijing below us.

However, after eating some strange mushroom icecream, my Star Wars mind could not help to see other things....













BTW, this was not the first time, similar things happened to me in China before.

Mushroom icecream ? I'm not surprised you started seeing things

aussiejames wrote:

Mushroom icecream ? I'm not surprised you started seeing things

Hmmm that would explain things a lot.

 

Back in China right now to spend my holidays with An.

From her home city Shijiazhuang (close to Beijing), we have travelled 800 km south west to the city Xi’an in Shanxi province.


Xi’an is one of the oldest city of China, and has been capital for thirteen dynasties in China’s long history. Among them is the dynasty of the first Emperor Qin.
When he died, a complete army of terracotta warriors was buried with him just outside of Xi’an, in the Lintong area, to protect him in the After Life. This army was accidently discovered by farmers in the 70s. Viewing the terracotta soldiers, horses, chariots, at present day is an overwhelming experience. Amazing that these statues were made around 200 BC.




Emperor Qin himself was buried close to the Terracotta army, somewhere at the foot of Li Shan mountain. With him buried was a complete underground palace. According to legends his coffin is surrounded by 100 rivers of liquid mercury representing China’s rivers. His tomb is said to be surrounded by all kinds of traps, like crossbows automatically shooting any robber trying to steal some of the treasures. Moreover the mercury would also probably intoxicate any person trying to come nearby.


Maybe this all sounds more like a script for the next Indiana Jones movie. Fact is that archeologist have indeed found elevated concentrations of mercury in the soil by using modern analytical techniques, at the place where they suspect the tomb.
But sofar nobody has tried to excavate the tomb…...



Below some impressions of our stay here at Xi’an:



Cheers

Marco

Staying on topic of this thread: Star Wars in China.   


ARMY




Picture made by JesseVader08




BATTLE AXE










Tomorrow I will go into the city, hopefully scoring some Chinese bootlegs. Sofar I haven’t succeeded in doing so, maybe we are too far away from the Hong Kong area, where probably most (bootleg) toys are produced, or maybe there is just little demand here in China.

Fingers crossed, I find something in the wild this time…

Great pictures and information Marco!   

Good luck with the search for SW toys.

Funny no one has cashed in by making some repro weapons for the terracotta army.   

Cool trip, Dengar.

Can anyone else see Tiggy?

Wrong thread.

Excellent pics Marco. Glad you're enjoying China! Good luck hunting down some SW stuff   

Wow Marco   

Some truly beautiful scenery and the Army is a sight to behold   

I have always been fascinated with Chinese culture and art - I can't wait to see more pics man   

Wow, what a crazy memorable experience it would be to go into China. Good luck finding some SW bootlegs, they would make some fantastic souvenirs!