Virtual China: LiLei and Han MeiMei

About Virtual China

ABOUT THE BLOG:
Virtual China is an exploration of virtual experiences and environments in and about China. The topic is also the primary research area for the Institute for the Future's Asia Focus Program in 2006. IFTF is an independent, nonprofit strategic research group with more than 35 years of forecasting experience based in Palo Alto, CA.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Lyn Jeffery is a cultural anthropologist and Research Director at the Insitute for the Future, where she leads its Asia Focus Program.
Jason Li is currently a design research intern at Adaptive Path. He previously worked at IFTF & Microsoft Research Asia, and recently graduated from Brown University.
Nan Yang is a freelancer in Shanghai whose many projects include part-time Mandarin teacher at MandarinShanghai.com, assistant for Eric Eldred from Creative Commons, translating manager for gOFFICE, translator for MeMedia, member of Social Brain Foundation, and author of 1idea1day.com. She is also passionate to take part in small and innovative seminars in Shanghai.
EMAIL THE AUTHORS:
Lyn Jeffrey
Jason Li
Nan Yang

About Asia Focus

In response to the great need for foresight about Asia, IFTF has launched the Asia Focus Program. Asia Focus research topics are large-scale, under-explored areas from which unexpected futures will emerge. It is part of IFTF's flagship program, the Ten-Year Forecast Program, which provides a broad scan of the environment and is a leading source of foresight for a vangard of business, government, and nonprofit organizations.

About the Institute for the Future

The Institute for the Future is an independent nonprofit research group. We work with organizations of all kinds to help them make better, more informed decisions about the future. We provide the foresight to create insights that lead to action. We take an explicitly global approach to strategic planning, linking macro trends to local issues in such areas as technology and society, health and health care, and global business trends.

January 16, 2008

LiLei and Han MeiMei

LiLei and Han MeiMei were the two main characters from a series of middle-school English textbooks used by Mainland Chinese students in the early 80s. I've unearthed a small wave of nostalgia about them online, including speculations on their love triangle with Englishman Jim Green and an annotated cast of characters.

Then some artists converted retro nostalgia into modern art, kitsch and a roadshow:

Lileihanmei1

Interestingly enough, they also gave named them 李磊 and 韩美美 as they described in one of their first blog posts:

"他们没有中文名，我就先这样叫他们。试试看反响如何？大家有新意见么？ (They don't have Chinese names, let's call them this for now and see what the reaction is? What do you think?)"

Via Bigik.cn.

Posted by Jason Li on January 16, 2008 at 01:17 PM in Art, Design, Meme | Permalink

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Comments

I remember those books...They tought me how to reply to "How are you?" ---it's always, always, the classical phrase "I'm fine, thank you. And you?" we loved it, for they make you seem smart to English speakers, we hated it, because the answer to the reply may be long and confusing...and we wouldn't know what to do and say next...hahahaha
I miss Li lei and Han Meimei, I think besides Jim Green, there are also the twins: Lily and Lucy...

Posted by: Xiaoxiao | January 18, 2008 at 11:35 PM