We Are the Champions! - Mideaimg.midea.com/global/about_midea/publications/201603/P... · Advances Fusion, January, 2016 1 Vol. 6, #1, January 2016, No. 55 We Are the Champions! Midea

Advances Fusion, January, 2016

1

Vol. 6, #1, January 2016, No. 55

We Are the Champions!

Midea has begun 2016 with a series of Olympian achievements


2

ADVANCES

Contents

Midea Advances Newsletter is published monthly

by Midea International Business. We welcome all

comments, suggestions and contributions of

articles, as well as requests for subscription to our

newsletter. You can reach us by email at:

[email protected]

Address:

ADVANCES, Midea International Business

Midea HQ

No. 6 Midea Road

Beijiao, Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong

P.R.C. 528311

Web: www.midea.com/global

Phone: 0086 13266591586

Quote of the Month:

The slogan 'press

on' has solved and

always will solve the

problems of the hu-

man race.

—Calvin Coolidge

NEWSLINE

World Sport’s Biggest Stage PAGE 3

Russian Creative

Competition with a Twist PAGE 4

www.midea.com

RUSSIA: Maslenitsa PAGE 17

SAUDI ARABIA: Jenadriyah

National Festival PAGE 16

10,000 Induction Cookers

Donated to Nepal PAGE 6

Bosch JV Enters UK Market PAGE 5

Group Welcomed to World-

Leading IOT Alliance PAGE 9

China’s Most Generous

Person PAGE 10

ITALY: Carnevale Venezia PAGE 18

RAC’s R&D Doctor PAGE 14

Belarus Workers’ Snow-

Shoveling Skills Called to

Action PAGE 6

“I’ve Got a Golden Ticket”! PAGE 8

Midea Donates $1.5 Million to

Beijiao for Seventh Straight

Year PAGE 7

50 New Products Displayed

at Florida Expo PAGE 12

CHINA: Facts about Chinese

New Year PAGE 15

FUSION

PEOPLE

Cambodia Deputy Prime

Minister at Dealer Meeting PAGE 11

Divisions Win Design Gold

Medals PAGE 13


3

World Sport’s Biggest Stage

Via EJarn

M idea has won the bidding for one of the

most sought after commercial air conditioning (CAC)

projects of 2016. CAC will supply its variable refrigerant

flow (VRF) systems to the newest major sports complex

in Brazil, demonstrating strong international competitive-

ness.

The sports-mad South American country built the

Barra Park in Rio de Janeiro, which spreads across an area

of 1,180 km2 and contains five stadiums and other facili-

ties such as press offices and dormitories. Midea’s VRFs

will be used for all these facilities.

Considering the special geographical location, climatic

conditions, and architectural styles of Rio de Janeiro, Midea

selected the most suitable products for different stadiums. To

ensure the comfort and energy-saving level, most of the prod-

ucts will be imported from China.

Take the MDV V5X series VRF widely used in game cen-

ters as an example. The product has high operational efficiency

with low energy consumption, thanks to advanced direct cur-

rent (DC) inverter technology, precision refrigerant control,

energy-saving heat transfer, and powerful low-temperature heat-

ing technologies. The VRF has maximum parallel capacity of 88

hp, the highest in the industry, and the leading integrated part

load value (IPLV) of 8.3.

For more information, see EJarn: ejarn.com/news.aspx?

ID=38126

NEWSLINE


4

Russian Creative Competition with a Festive

Twist By Advances

A competition was held on VK.com, the Russian-

language equivalent of Facebook, for the most creative design

of the Midea logo over the Christmas and New Year period.

The prize was the EHS10AH Bread Maker and the wide vari-

ety of entries involved everything from plasticine, pine

branches, hand-embroidered pillows and gingerbread.

This design, made from fish caught in the Sea of Japan,

was the winner.

NEWSLINE


5

Bosch JV Enters UK Market

Via Google News

NEWSLINE

design combined

with an increased

heat exchanger area

and transfer coeffi-

cient, means the

control box can

reach temperatures

as low as 8°C.

In addition,

what is described as

a pioneering fan

design on the larger

units provides an

overall performance

boost with a 14.3% increase in air volume and a noise reduc-

tion of up to 4dB. The four-blade fan and three-blade fan of-

fered by the entire RDCI range and SDCI modules from 12hp

-18hp coupled with a night time function, is said to create the

perfect solution for projects associated with domestic proper-

ties.

Along with the new VRF system, Bosch is also offering a

centralised controller capable of controlling up to 1,024 units

individually, and allowing energy consumption for every unit

to be monitored using a smart phone, tablet, or PC. An SMS

service linked to the system is also available, which will send a

report text message should a unit fail.

Announcing the launch in the UK, business develop-

ment director Geoff Hobbs said: “Those within the building

services industry are increasingly faced with the challenge of

recommending and installing flexible heating and hot water

systems with the ability to maximize efficiency. With this in

mind, we’ve taken the decision to introduce a VRF system

which offers maximum heating and cooling comfort efficient-

ly, and on a large scale.”

Geoff added: “Our decision to enter the UK air condi-

tioning market means those working within the sector can rely

on the expertise and experience of a global brand with a

wealth of knowledge of the UK building services sector.”

B osch, the well-known German engineering and

electronics company, has announced the launch of a range of

VRF air conditioning units in the UK.

The launch this month coincides with similar launches in

a number of countries across Europe, including Germany,

Italy, Spain, Turkey and Poland. The launch follows the joint

venture with Midea Commercial Air Conditioning (CAC).

The Bosch Climate 5000 VRF offers outputs from 8kW

to 200kW. The heat recovery system boasts an EER of 7.0 at

50% load (8hp) and an SEER of up to 8.0. Each module’s

ability to provide continuous heating whilst simultaneously

performing a defrost cycle, ensures high performance in tem-

peratures ranging from -20°C to 48°C.

The Climate 5000 VRF is available in a three-pipe heat

recovery system, a two-pipe heat pump VRF system, and a

mini heat pump system. The mini heat pump series can be

upgraded to provide single zone control of an internal unit

using just one outdoor unit with an attached switch box, mak-

ing it the ideal solution for small residential houses, commer-

cial buildings and small retail businesses.

The inverter-driven compressors within the RDCI (all

DC inverter heat recovery) and SDCI (all DC inverter heat

pump) series are said to maximise reliability and allow each

system to operate with up to 1,000m of pipework.

Bosch also claims that its patented air cooling technology

for the inverter module allows more effective cooling of elec-

trical components for better all-round performance. The grille


6

10,000 Induction Cookers Donated to Nepal

By MIP

T en-thousand Midea induction cookers have been sent

to Nepal as part of China’s aid package to the country during its

fuel shortage. China’s Ministry of Commerce selected Midea

ahead of the competition due to the reliability of the brand’s

products.

After the pledge was signed on December 19, a selection

process for

the supplier

began. The

lightness and

durability of

Midea’s

products and

the efficiency

of Midea-

owned

Annto Logis-

tics helped it

win out and

the

10,000

units

were

deliv-

ered to

Shang-

hai in

just four

days

ahead of

being

trans-

ported to the Himalayan nation.

The Nepalese government began rationing fuel in Septem-

ber after discord over a new constitution prompted ethnic mi-

nority political parties to impose a strike and block border

crossings with India. With winter arriving and areas of the coun-

try still reeling from the earthquakes that struck in April and

May, many families are worried about how they will stay warm.

NEWSLINE

By Advances

Belarus Workers’ Snow-Shoveling Skills

Called to Action

M idea was founded in 1968 in Beijiao in South Chi-

na’s Guangdong Province. For generations, people who spent

their whole lives in Beijiao would never have seen snow, of

which the area has very little record.

Nothing says more about the group’s progress than the

variety of climactic

conditions under

which its foot soldiers

operate. Midea’s com-

mercial air condition-

ing was installed in the

village for last year’s

All-Africa Games in

Brazzaville, Congo, where

temperatures can read 32

Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit).

On the other extreme, work-

ers at the Midea-Horizont

joint venture in the Belarus-

ian capital of Minsk were

unexpectedly called into

snow-shoveling action as the

city was coated in up to 40 cm of snow.

Hazards included tree branches that fell under the pres-

sure, roads that were dangerously slippery, and vehicles that

were submerged. It was nothing that could not be solved with

some elbow grease and Midea-Horizont team spirit.


7

Midea Donates $1.5 Million to Beijiao for 7th

Straight Year

B eijiao, a former fishing village and hometown of

Midea founder He

Xiangjian is where it all

started for the group. In

1968, Mr. He set up the

company that would be-

come Midea with twenty-

three employees making

bottle caps.

Knowing that

Midea’s status as a global

giant would never have

been possible without the

good people of Beijiao and

the cooperation of the

local government, Midea

has donated 10 Million RMB (US$1.5 Million) at the start of

every year since 2009. This year’s funds will go to a variety of

good causes that will help society’s most vulnerable people and

bring Beijiao closer to the level of development seen in nearby

megacities Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

The causes will include:

3 Million RMB in sub-

sistence to the poor.

1.5 Million RMB will

go to education, including

500,000 which will be spent

on redeveloping Beijiao

Village Middle School. The

rest of the funds will be

controlled by the Depart-

ment of Education.

80 Million RMB will go

toward upgrading hospital

facilities and infrastructure.

20 Million RMB will go toward helping the disabled.

NEWSLINE

By Advances

Red Hot Small Appliances

M idea’s Small Domestic Appliances Division released

its Mini range of red appliances on e-commerce platform Jing-

dong this month. To mark the release, synchronized swimmer

Sun Wenyan, who won Gold at the London Olympics and the

Asian Games among other


8

“I’ve Got a Golden Ticket!”

By Kevin McGeary

S pring Festival is for many Chinese the only time of

year in which they can see their families. To be part of the

economic miracle, millions have had to move away from their

rural homes to coastal boomtowns where most of the growth

has been concentrated.

For this reason, and due to the sheer size and popula-

tion of the country, chunyun (The Spring Festival Rush) is a

massive source of stress for hundreds of millions of people

each year. The difficulty of getting home is equivalent to Steve

Martin and John Candy in the 1987 movie “Planes, Trains and

Automobiles” times 1,000.

Workers at Midea’s components factory in the southern

city of Foshan will have no such concern as the company has

done a deal with high-speed rail operator Guangzhou Rail

Corporation to ensure that the majority can get tickets home

this year.

Here are some images of the typical scenes at train and

bus stations in China at this time of year. They are not for the

faint-hearted:

NEWSLINE


9

Group Welcomed to World-Leading IOT

Alliance

M idea has received an invitation letter to

join ZigBee, a global wireless standard for the Inter-

net of Things. ZigBee joins other major Internet of

Things associations such as HomeKit, AllSeen,

Thread, and HiLink in collaborating with Midea.

Product categories that ZigBee

covers include consumer electronics,

power sources, interoperable appli-

ances, medical devices, and telecom-

munications. At the recent Consumer

Electronics Show in The United

States it launched ZigBee 3.0, the

unification of the Alliance’s market-

leading wireless standards into a sin-

gle standard. This standard will pro-

vide seamless interoperability among

the widest range of smart devices and

give consumers and businesses access

to innovative products and services

that will work together seamlessly to enhance

everyday life.

This association will help Midea further develop

its M-Smart system and make it compatible with

other interoperable products. Zigbee Chairman

Torbin Richardson visited Midea to confirm the

association.

NEWSLINE

Via Google News

Torbin Richardson, right


10

China’s Most Generous Person

A ccording to Evan Os-

nos of The New Yorker, in 1850

America had fewer than twenty

millionaires, by 1900 it had

40,000, some as bumptious as

James Gordon Bennett, who

bought a restaurant in Monte Car-

lo after he was refused a seat by

the window. This was what Mark

Twain described as his country’s

“guilded age.”

Since China initiated Reform

and Opening in the late 1970s, its

transformation has been even

more rapid. The majority of Chi-

na’s millionaires moved from the

farm to the boardroom in a short

enough time to ensure they remem-

ber their working class roots.

When it comes to giving some-

thing back to a society that has ena-

bled them to flourish, none of Chi-

na’s billionaires is more generous

than Midea founder Mr. He

Xiangjian, who donated 400 million

RMB (US$60.8 million) of his per-

sonal wealth as of August 31, 2015, according to the

findings of the Ash Centre for Democratic Govern-

ance at Harvard Kennedy School. The second highest

donor gave away 315 million RMB.

For seven straight years, Midea has donated US$1.5

Million to Mr. He’s native Beijiao Village, where the

company is headquartered. Causes to which Mr. He

has donated his money include clean water, health

care, social welfare and education.

NEWSLINE

Beijiao, much of which was developed with He’s fortune

Via Wall Street Journal


11

Cambodia Deputy Prime Minister at Dealer

Meeting By Shine Lee

M idea’s dealer meeting held in Cambodia on Janu-

ary 26 was attended by many of the great and good, none

more so than Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An. She and

other dignitaries were led around the exhibition center by

hosts decked in traditional attire of Midea blue as the brand’s

entire product range was displayed.

Other guests included the president of the China

Friendship Association and a senior economic advisor to

prime minister Hun Sen. Nearly 600 people attended the

event at which the brand was introduced. Over US$1.5 mil-

lion of business was done on the spot.

NEWSLINE

A hostess in traditional Khmer attire

Men Sam An, center

Children’s air conditioners


12

50 New Products Displayed at Florida Expo

By Shine Lee

T he International Air-Conditioning, Heating, and

Refrigeration (AHR) Exposition, was held in Orlando, Florida

on January 26. As a global leader in the HVAC and refrigera-

tion industries, Midea had a large stand, displaying around 50

new products.

Midea America & Canada Corporation (MACC) was

delighted

to exhibit

so many

products

in the

United

States, a

major

market

for refrig-

eration

and air

solutions.

Midea Commercial Air Conditioning (CAC) and Midea-

owned compres-

sor brand GMCC

work together to

provide some of

the world’s most

efficient air solu-

tions.

These include the

Oasis Series of air

conditioners,

which boast ca-

pacity of

9000BTU/h and

SEER 37.0 and

the Vertu Plus

Series has a mode

called “forest

wind”, in which

an ionizer is released, giving off a breeze so fresh that users

feel as if they are in a forest. The latter also operates quietly

without display or sound because of its auto photosensitive

features. Its strength not only lies in its functions but also in its

streamline V design in which its light turns blue or orange ac-

cording to the cooling or heating mode.

Distributors and other interested parties at the expo had

an unprecedented opportunity to engage with the brand, learn

about the products and appreciate the way in which Midea is

helping families around the world enjoy some of their most

precious moments at home.

NEWSLINE

Team MACC


13

Divisions Win Design Gold Medals

E ach year, International Forum

Design GmbH organizes one of the

world's most celebrated and valued design

competitions: the iF DESIGN AWARD.

Recognized as a symbol of design excel-

lence around the world, the iF DESIGN

AWARD welcomes over 5,000 submis-

sions from

70 countries

every year.

Founded in Germany in 1953, the iF DESIGN

AWARD has been bestowed on a number of Midea

Group’s products and brands. The most recent win-

ners come from Midea’s Washing Machine and Small

Appliances divisions.

With its minimalist design, the Star series of washing ma-

chines have been a hit around the world. Sold under the Lit-

tleSwan brand, the washing machine can be controlled with a

smartphone app. Its ease of use led iF to recognize it as a Disci-

pline Product.

At the same time, two items made by the Small Applianc-

es Division were also recognized as Discipline Products. The

PU Rice Cooker and the Skittles series of contact grills and rice

cookers were recognized for the simplicity of their design and

user-friendliness.

NEWSLINE

The Small Appliances Division Celebrates


14

RAC’s R&D Doctor

L iang Zhaihao from Huanggang in central China’s

Hubei Province, was awarded a PhD by Sun Yat-sen University

in July 2012. In October 2013 he started working in research and

development for Midea Residential Air Conditioning, specializ-

ing in smart home technology.

Liang’s experiences in the past year include completing the

Smart Air Housekeeper system, which will work for four prod-

uct cate-

gories

and

Midea’s

entire M-

Smart

system;

worked

on 100

products

in 17 of

Midea’s

series,

including

the chil-

dren’s air

condi-

tioners

and the

King

refrigera-

tion sys-

tems;

helped

develop

Midea’s

AE、

VP、AF、MB series; worked on the back end of the M-Smart

system. The division’s winning of a number of domestic and

individual honors was made possible by Liang’s tireless work.

Titles Liang has held in just two years include Internet of

Things engineer, domestic project manager, and smart software

platform manager. He has thrived in all thanks to the autonomy

that Midea has given him. “At this place, you always know you

can use your own specialist skills, always know you will reap

what you sow, always know that good work will be rewarded,”

said Liang.

Of course, the work is not all joy. Despite three changes

in Internet of Things platform, after doing their fair share of all-

nighters in the laboratory, Liang and his team have pulled

through because of their self-belief and belief in Midea’s future

as a smart

home

leader.

Liang

believes

that the

key is

team-

work.

“Nobody

ever

achieves

anything

entirely

on their

own,”

said

Liang.

At a time

when

technolo-

gy is mak-

ing every-

thing

possible,

innovation

is at the

center. Liang echoes Paul Fang’s call for “consumer-centered

innovation.”

“I am looking forward to 2016,” said Liang. “2016 is the

year when much of the hard work of the past two years will be

rewarded.”

PEOPLE

By Wang Biying

Liang Haizhao, center


15

CHINA: Facts about Chinese New Year

By Advances

FUSION

es from his hiding place on

New Year’s Eve, but is

frightened off by the red

decorations and banners.

The character “nian” 年

which in contemporary

Chinese means “year” is

one of the oldest written

symbols in the world.

Chinese families will usually

fill their houses with red

decorations as this is held to be a very lucky color. The

streets and public places may also be filled with red ban-

ners and signs at this time.

China is home to the world’s fireworks industry and the

Spring Festival will see hundreds of thousands of displays

and organized events, as well as millions of fireworks lit at

home. The tradition is that the fireworks scare away evil

spirits and demons. The largest displays are set off around

midnight, similarly to January 1st New Year celebrations

worldwide.

The two weeks of celebrations usually end with a Lantern

Festival; on the eve of the 15th day, families and friends

again come together to eat and to put up lanterns or re-

lease them into the skies. The festival falls on the night of

the first full moon of the Chinese New Year.

It is a tradition for younger family members to receive

gifts of cash from older relatives, rather than wrapped

presents; the money is generally given in a red envelope,

to reinforce the positive feeling. It is also common for

employees to get such cash gifts as bonuses from their

employers.

During the Chinese New Year, people often greet

each other by shouting “auspicious phrases” thought to

bring luck, like “gōng xǐ fā cái,” which translates to

“Congratulations and be prosperous.” Children some-

times use the following variant of this greeting when they

are feeling cheeky: “gōng xǐ fā cái, hóng bāo ná lái.” That

means “Congratulations and be prosperous, now give me

a red envelope!”

T he Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival as it’s been

called since the 20th century, remains the most important social

and economic holiday in China. Originally tied to the lunar-

solar Chinese calendar, the holiday, which falls February 8th,

was a time to honor household and heavenly deities as well as

ancestors. It was also a time to bring family together for feast-

ing. With the popular adoption in China of the Western calen-

dar in 1912, the Chinese joined in celebrating January 1 as New

Year’s Day. China, however, continues to celebrate the tradi-

tional Chinese New Year, although in a shorter version with a

new name–the Spring Festival

Chinese hold their new year celebrations between the 21st

of January and February 20th, depending on the Chinese

lunar calendar; so although calendar years have a fixed start

and end date, the Chinese New Year can be any of 31 dif-

ferent dates.

The celebration is actually known as “Spring Festival” in

China, even though it falls in the middle of the winter!

This is because the ancient solar calendar, which depicts 24

periods through the year, classifies the start of Spring as

the period from February 4th to 18th.

It is considered good luck to thoroughly clean the house

for the festival, thus getting rid of any bad feelings. Failing

to do so can bring dishonor and bad luck to the family.

No list of fun facts about Chinese New Year would be

complete without mention of a monster! Tradition says

that Nian, a ferocious beast who preys on humans, emerg-

The character “nian”


16

SAUDI ARABIA: Jenadriyah National Festival

Via Saudi Embassy

FUSION

foot-powered wheel shapes clay into bowls and water jars.

Leather is cut and shaped into sandals, pouches and bags.

Large

planks are

cut and

fashioned

into doors

and win-

dows that

have intri-

cate carv-

ings and

inlays.

Black-

smiths

heat

chunks of

iron in a furnace and hammer them into gleaming swords and

daggers. A tailor hand-sews golden threads into the collar of a

man’s cloak. Jewelers fuse precious metals and mount semi-

precious stones to make intricate bracelets, necklaces and ear-

rings. Craftsman put together ingenious wooden pulleys used

in the old days to laboriously draw water from wells for irrigat-

ing crops.

In addition, folklore troupes perform the ardha and oth-

er national dances, while singers from around the Kingdom

perform traditional songs and music. Literary figures from

across the country participate in poetry competitions between

contemporary poets reciting historic verses.

T he most famous cultural event in Saudi Arabia is the

Jenadriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival, organized each year

by the National Guard. For two weeks in late February/early

March, the festival gives over a million Saudis a glimpse into

the past.

First held in 1985, the festival highlights the Kingdom’s

commitment to keeping the traditional culture and crafts of

Saudi Arabia alive. It is held at a special site about 45km north-

east of central Riyadh.

Opening with a traditional camel race, the festival in-

cludes almost every aspect of Saudi culture. Artisans, such as

potters, woodworkers and weavers, demonstrate their tradition-

al crafts in small shops with typical palm-frond-roofed porches.

Visitors can also stroll through the past in a heritage village,

which resides

permanently in

Jenadriyah.

At these

exhibits one may

watch a met-

alsmith fashion a

traditional brass

and copper coffee

pot. A wood

carver slowly

transforms a piece

of wood into a

saddle frame.

Basket makers weave palm fronds and straw into hats, baskets

and containers decorated with colorful designs. A potter using a


17

RUSSIA: Maslenitsa

By Advances

FUSION

Kostroma. It is paraded around and the first pancakes may be

made and offered to the poor. On Tuesday, young men might

search for a fiancée to marry after lent. On Wednesday sons-in

-law may visit their mother-in-law who has prepared pancakes

and invited other guests for a party. Thursday may be devoted

to outdoor activities. People may take off work and spend the

day sledding, ice skating, snowball fights and with sleigh rides.

On Friday sons-in-law may invite their mothers-in-law for

dinner. Saturday may be a gathering of a young wife with her

sisters-in-law to work on a good relationship.

The last day of the week is called "Forgiveness Sunday”.

Relatives and friends ask each other for forgiveness and

might offer small presents. As the culmination of the cele-

bration people gather to "strip Lady Maslenitsa of her fin-

ery" and burn her in a bonfire. Left-over pancakes may also

be thrown into the fire and Lady Maslenitsa's ashes are

buried in the snow to "fertilize the crops".

At Vespers on Sunday evening, people may make a

poklon (bow) before one another and ask forgiveness. An-

other name for Forgiveness Sunday is "Cheesefare Sun-

day," because for devout Orthodox Christians it is the last

day on which dairy products may be consumed until East-

er. Fish, wine and olive oil will also be forbidden on most

days of Great Lent. The following day is called Clean Mon-

day, because people have confessed their sins, asked for-

giveness, and can begin Lent with a clean slate.

A ccording to archeological evidence from 2nd

century A.D. Maslenitsa may be the oldest surviving

Russian holiday. It has its origins in the pagan tradition.

In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa is a sun-festival, personi-

fied by the ancient god Volos, and a celebration of the

imminent end of winter. In the Christian tradition,

Maslenitsa is the last week before the onset of Lent.

During the week of Maslenitsa, meat is forbidden

to Orthodox Christians, and it is the last week during

which eggs, milk, cheese and other dairy products are

permitted. The most characteristic food of Maslenitsa is

bliny thin pancakes or crepes, made from the rich foods

still allowed by the Orthodox tradition that week: butter,

eggs and milk. During pagan times, the round shape and

golden color signified praise to the Sun because of pan-

cakes' resemblance to it.

Since Lent excludes parties, secular music, dancing and

other distractions from spiritual life, Maslenitsa represents the

last chance to take part in social activities that are not appropri-

ate during the more prayerful, sober and introspective Lenten

season. It is a time when societal rules can be broken including

wearing masks and clothing of the opposite gender, role-

playing, gorging, and consuming large amounts of alcohol.

In some regions, each day of Maslenitsa had its traditional

activity. Monday may be the welcoming of “Lady Maslenitsa”.

The community builds the Maslenitsa effigy out of straw, deco-

rated with pieces of rags, and fixed to a pole formerly known as


18

ITALY: Carnevale Venezia

By Kevin McGeary

FUSION

and mainly

for private

feasts,

where it

became an

occasion for

artistic crea-

tion.

Present Day

The Carnival returned to operate in 1979, partly inspired

by the Italian government’s determination to revive the Vene-

tian tourism industry. Today, approximately 3 million visitors

come to Venice every year for the Carnival. One of the most

important events is the contest for la maschera più bella ("the

most beautiful mask") placed at the last weekend of the Carni-

val and judged by a panel of international costume and fashion

designers.

The festivities begin on the Friday afternoon with La

Festa delle

Marie, a

procession

through

the city.

This is a

precursor

to the

official

opening

on Satur-

day, when

a masked procession leaves Piazza San Marco around 4 pm

and circulates through the streets. The next day there are

jousts and other mock-military tournaments. The following

Friday evening sees the festival’s high point, the Gran Ballo

delle Maschere (Grand Masked Ball), or Doge’s Ball, which

takes place in different locations each year – usually a suitably

grand palace is chosen for the event. Anyone with proper cos-

tume and mask who is able to dance the quadrilles and other

steps of a few centuries ago may join in.

F rom January 23 - February 9, 2016, Venice will

slough off the winter gloom and burst into life. During the

Carnival (Carnevale), this most magical of cities fills with a

mass of masked party-goers - posing and preening, dancing and

philandering, in a slightly surreal re-invention of a great tradi-

tion of the city.

History

It's said that the Carnival of Venice was started from a

victory of the "Serenissima Repubblica" against the Patriarch of

Aquileia, Ulrico di Treven in 1162. In the honor of this victory,

the peo-

ple started

to dance

and make

reunions

in San

Marco

Square.

Apparent-

ly, this

festival

started on

that period and became official during the Renaissance.

In the seventeenth century, the baroque carnival was a

way to preserve the prestigious image of Venice in the world’s

eyes. It was very famous during the eighteenth century. It en-

couraged license and pleasure, but was also used superstitiously

to protect Venetians from an uncertain future.

Under the rule of the King of Austria, the festival was

outlawed entire-

ly in 1797 and

the use of

masks became

strictly forbid-

den. It reap-

peared gradually

in the nine-

teenth century,

but only for

short periods


19

SNAPSHOT

Russian Competition with a TwistRussian Competition with a TwistRussian Competition with a Twist

Documents

We Are the Champions! - Mideaimg.midea.com/global/about_midea/publications/201603/P... · Advances Fusion, January, 2016 1 Vol. 6, #1, January 2016, No. 55 We Are the Champions! Midea