The Other China
老樹出差記
Lao Shu 老樹 is the nom de plume of Liu Shuyong (劉樹勇, 1962-), a Beijing-based artist, writer, critic and professor in communications. His artistic voice is unique and personal, its tenor, whimsy and profundity evoke what for decades we have called The Other China — a cultural noosphere that is as undeniably local as it is universal.
Here we offer the artist’s short account of a trip undertaken for work.
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For more work by Lao Shu in China Heritage, see The Other China and Intersecting with Eternity. For his latest art work (and merch), see Lao Shu Paintings 老樹畫畫 online at NetEase 網易.
— Geremie R. Barmé
Editor, China Heritage
26 June 2026
連續幾天出差，朋友喝酒聚會。
儘管努力克制，最後往往大醉。
When you’re out of town for work you can
catch up with friends, have a drink or two.
Despite your best efforts, in the end
restraint gives in to a major piss up.
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Flights are all too often delayed, but I just
wrap myself up in a rug and stack some Z’s.
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On the road you end up in hotels where your nights
are often spent listening to the flushing of toilets.
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When friends meet up after years apart
there’s always a drink or two to be had.
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After dinner you all wind up in a K-bar and
belt out favourites into the early hours.
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A crescent moon shines down
on the lone traveller’s return.
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Bumping into fans on the road you try to get out of it all but
still end up putting on a happy face so they can snap selfies.
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After the business end of things is done with
finally there’s time to check out the local sites.
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Everything is available everywhere these days,
and it’s hard deciding what mementos to buy.
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Source:
- 老樹，連續幾天出差，朋友喝酒聚會。儘管努力克制，最後往往大醉，《老樹畫畫》，2026年6月26日
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Notice of an Exhibition of Lao Shu’s Work
