Karaoke, Kipling, and the Communist King of Hangzhou

After 14 days of quarantine-induced cabin fever, I found myself in a surreal banquet hall being serenaded by a Chinese billionaire — and before I knew it, I was reciting Rudyard Kipling’s If to a room of powerful men, expensive wine in hand and the weight of global history echoing through the silence. This is Part 2 of my encounter with the enigmatic Chairman — a man who survived starvation, rose through the Communist Party ranks, and now controls vast swathes of China’s new empire. From £2000 bottles of vintage brandy to patriotic karaoke, from gaudy carpets to geopolitical nuance, this is the bizarre reality of foreign design work in a country racing toward the future. ✴️ What you’ll experience in this episode: The hidden rituals of business in modern China A poetic showdown of empire and memory Brandy, billionaires, and bewilderment Why the Chinese love Britishness (but not Britain) The moment you become both useful... and expendable 🗺 Part of The Accidental Exile — a series of illustrated stories from inside the beautiful, baffling machinery of modern China. 🔔 Subscribe for more poetic chaos, creative survival, and strange encounters in China.📖 Follow for more: Give me caffeine and I'll write more words: https://buymeacoffee.com/finlaycowanOne Time Pay Pal Donation:https://paypal.me/finlaycowan235Finlay’s Print Shop on Etsy - Buy my art, I'll be dead soon. https://finlaystravelart.etsy.comThe Accidental Exile on Substack.https://finlaycowan.substack.comThe Accidental Exile on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Unravelling China on Tik Tokwww.tiktok.com/@finlay6948Unravelling China on Instagramwww.instagram.com/finlaycowan_Finlay Studio Portfoliohttps://www.krop.com/finlaycowan/Finlay on Patreonpatreon.com/FinlayStudioFinlay's Linktreehttps://linktr.ee/finlaydesignstudio This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit finlaycowan.substack.com