David Feng 馮琰 ✏️

EN (Trains/Travel/Media) | 中文 (列車/旅行/媒體)

Author: David Feng

  • 馮琰的博客將會這樣寫…

    到了現在，我已在網上有屬於自己的部分。有些內容由於很特別，如鐵路方面內容，都已經爲之開辦獨立域名。

    而就博客方面?… 現在，在 davidfeng.blog，則祇會有一個博客，以方便各位瀏覽。

    首先，在此我會寫三個重點博客 — #trainsblog，#travelblog 及 #mediablog，中文則分別爲「列車博客」、「旅行博客」及「媒體博客」。這些對應我的鐵路及旅遊方面重點網站即 davidfengtrains.com 與 davidfeng.travel，及媒體研究及實踐方面的事情 (畢竟自己爲傳播學博士及疫前傳播學學者)，當然同 davidfeng.media 密切相關。

    其次，所有博客內容均會提供中文 (正體字，即繁體字) 內容與英文內容，以與本網語言安排保持一致。我會使用在香港所使用的中文，因此會以「博客」代臺灣常見之「部落格」。而且，有時還會選用其它語言。因此，請各位留意這些語言 tags: #ZH 中文，#EN 英文，及如 #DE 德文與 #FR 法文等內容分類。

    最後，在此博客發表內容不會帶太多「個人元素」，即不會將此博客作為「活生生的個人日記」。一方面，這或與我身爲瑞士人比較注重隱私有關，但講真話，全網有多少人願聽我設計自己話筒海面尺寸感興趣!?… 社交媒體上，已經有足夠的瘋子，在深夜三點發表各種令人抓狂的「covfefe」tweet… 所以，本博客將會略為「理性」一些；偶爾會有些埋怨或謾罵，但主要以可用內容為主。

    2005 年爲我開始寫博客第一年，現在斷斷續續，已經不知不覺 20 年了。所以，請各位欣賞!

  • Here’s how David’s blog will work…

    There’s quite a bit of the Web that I, well, own… and there are particular bits that are so special, they warrant their own domains. Of course, with all the Trains stuff, that warrants its own world.

    But what about the blog? Well, here on davidfeng.blog, it’s going to be a case of one blog to rule them all.

    First of all, I’m going to be doing three special tags — #trainsblog, #travelblog, and #mediablog. These align with the special sites I do — davidfengtrains.com and davidfeng.travel, as well as my media-related engagements (professional and academic), of course also closely connected to davidfeng.media.

    Second, all posts that are in English will also be in Chinese (standard, traditional characters). Correspondingly, these two tags will be #列車博客 and #旅行博客. (I use the Chinese as is used in Hong Kong, by the way, so I don’t use the Taiwanese phrasing 部落格). Sometimes, though, I will use additional languages. The tags to watch are #EN for English, #ZH for Chinese (standard), and others such as #DE for German, or #FR for French.

    Finally, you’ll note a lot of content here won’t be so personal. There’s a Swiss side to it, but also, is it really important to tell you the precise dimensions of, say, my microphone foam cover? There’s enough whingeing on social media, and blogs aren’t exactly 3 AM covfefe tweets, really. So, a bit less crazy shit (and I will swear, but just a bit), and more useful stuff…

    Enjoy, guys. I’ve been blogging since 2005, and it’s not for me to kick the habit, now going twenty years strong (even though it’s a bit more on and off as of late)…

  • Back blogging. Once again…

    David Feng is back blogging after starting, well, a pre-Web era thing called the personal diary or autobiography about as early as 32 years ago.

    He’s now also a “digital refugee”, if you will. What has happened in Washington, DC those past weeks has been nothing short of head-scratching in the extreme. This site, as well as just about all David Feng online presences (outside of social media), are now on servers back home with him in Switzerland, a place that encourages and treasures free speech — worlds apart from “free speech absolutists” DC-site who then promote those who curry hate.

    Yes, indeed, who let the “DOGE” out?

    Stay tuned, everyone. And hang on tight…

  • 爲下一代中國媒介「主播」擔憂…

    請留意: 此內容已由原處轉至當前博客中。有關日期均以此前博客內容爲準，包括估計於市區等方面。此內容此前並未譯爲中文。現依據當時所使用用詞，進行大體翻譯。

    最近，我和我的研究生導師發訊息時，提及對拿著非 KTV 的「下一代」拿着話筒表示擔憂。雖然時隔已近 20 年，但我們仍然能經常保持聯絡。

    直播即意味着更多年輕人可以直接拿起話筒及 iPhone，現場「開播」 — 而毋需等待此前長期「層層審批」。當然，這是媒介使用及發布上的民主化，但是並非完全沒有問題。

    我本人特別對於一些主播「拼流量」胡亂「開播」，或那些對你吼喊的主播，表示無法接受。

    我總覺得，這個之所以在中國是亟需解決的問題，即因爲中國國內鮮有「媒介素養」(media literacy) 課程。同樣，現在尚有不少人認爲，直播還沒有「過時」，須以任何手段試圖賺取拿「第一桶金」，即使舉起話筒胡亂「開播」，也「惟流量是一切」。

    我認爲，這一切總會有個時候要結束。我並不主張媒介去民主化，但是希望各位主播可以多讀書，多學習，善待受眾並相互尊重。畢竟，我跟導師來自一個在電視上主持人善待受眾，從其獲得尊重的時代。

    同樣，在我期待着更多年輕面孔做主持的同時，希望這些充滿潛能的新一代人才可以善待各位，不要舉起話筒而濫用之爲一種蔑受眾的武器!

    —
    2024 年 1 月 12 日 23:21 (世界協調時 +08:00) 於中國撰寫。

  • Concerned About the Media Hosts of the Younger Generation in China…

    Please note: This content has been ported to the current blog. The dates concerned are as per the previous post (accounting for differences in time zones).

    Some time back, I messaged my university MA supervisor, whom I still keep in touch quite regularly, even after nearly 20 years. I expressed my concern about the younger generation in front of the microphone — specifically, the non-KTV one.

    Livestreaming meant more and more people could just pick up a microphone and an iPhone and go live — what used to require hierarchy upon hierarchy of approval from Official Peking was now far easier to get done. It, of course, democratised access to media, but it had its own can of worms to deal with.

    I, in particular, took particular issue with people dancing in front of the screen — just for the hell of it — to get bandwidth. Worse, there were livestream hosts that would basically bark at you, the viewer — sometimes condescendingly.

    I’ve always felt that this was a problem, because of a lack of media literacy courses in China — plus the still-not-fully-died-out wish to get rich quick just by picking up a mic — and doing crazy things with it, just to siphon all that bandwidth..

    At some point, I just felt it had to stop. I’m not calling for the undoing of media democratisation, but for there to be more informed livestreaming hosts — who would also start treating audiences with respect. We both hail back to an era when TV hosts harboured authority, and treated audiences with respect.

    I, too, would like to see this happen, more and more. I don’t mind seeing newer, and younger, at that, faces — and there’s still incredible potential and talent hidden away — but I’m not going to be happy if you pick up that mic and start using it as a weapon, to rub audiences the wrong way!

    —
    Posted at 22:42 on 12 January 2024 in China

  • 首枚帶有「鐵路 (Railway)」的國境口岸印章 — 在磨丁站印上!

    請留意: 此內容已由原處轉至當前博客中。有關日期均以此前博客內容爲準，包括估計於時區等方面。

    我剛完成在中國-老撾鐵路跨國旅程。在老撾境內，該綫被定名爲「老中鐵路」，而恰好是這個名字即「老中鐵路」的英文譯名 Laos-China Railway，以國境口岸印章方式，永遠在於我 2018 年簽發的瑞士護照第 25 頁上!

    更好的是，在離老途中，離老車票同樣被印上這個印章。我不僅不介意，我甚至於希望自己可以按上這枚印章 — 讓它按着更整齊。不過，印上比沒有印上更好!

    意外的是，我在離開老撾國境口岸檢查站時，須額外等待 5 分鐘。是不是因爲瑞士人免簽入境 14 天，而官員未發現電子簽證? 或者，是不是官員從未看到我的「中國綠卡」?… 確實，該證實屬少見!

    不過，在兩個邊檢站，過關仍然很容易。離老時，官員問我我在老撾時去過哪裏，我爲琅勃拉邦「點讚」。這座小鎮與可能隨時封控我的北京高樓大廈相比，堪稱天壤之別。之後，我即可以快速通關。

    當然，在國境口岸管制區內，各地規定嚴禁拍照或拍攝，但是自己發現了中國海關使用非常先進的機器。亞洲這一部分不幸地有販毒問題，所以海關提前做好準備。

    不久之後，我將會去香港與澳門，也期望可以再在護照簿上得到幾枚出入境印章。畢竟，這本護照，伴隨着我疫情全程!…

    —
    2023 年 9 月 27 日 22:59 (世界協調時 +08:00) 於中國北京撰寫

  • My First Border Crossing Stamp with “Railway” On It — at Boten Railway Station!

    Please note: This content has been ported to the current blog. The dates concerned are as per the previous post (accounting for differences in time zones).

    I’ve just completed a journey on the China-Laos Railway, or as it’s known in Laos itself, the Laos-China Railway. And yes, that very stamp — Laos-China Railway — is now forever affixed onto my 2018 Swiss passport, right on page 23!

    Better yet, on the way out, it was also affixed onto the railway ticket. I didn’t mind — in fact, I would’ve personally affixed it a wee bit clearer, but oh well, better than nothing!

    Interestingly, I was delayed for about 5 minutes at the border heading back into China. Problems with my Swiss passport? (Swiss citizens get 14 days in Laos visa-free, so I guess they wanted to check for the e-visa?) Or problems with my Chinese Green Card? (It’s a very rare card, I admit!…)

    However, re-entry back to China was simple at both border checkpoints. I told Lao exit control staff, who asked me where I was in Laos, that I particularly loved Luang Prabang — a huge sigh of relief after three years of Zero Covid, where they threatened to trap you in supertowers in Beijing — and back in China, crew cleared my entrance pretty quickly.

    Of course, at border crossings, there’s strictly no photography or videotaping, but I did see China Customs with some super high-tech gadgets as I made my way in. This part of Asia, alas, does have a drug trafficking problem, so it’s no surprise Customs are more than prepared.

    With a trip to Hong Kong and Macau planned soon, I’m looking to get a few more stamps added to this booklet — which survived the horrors of Zero Covid!

    —
    Posted at 22:16 (UTC+08:00) on 27 September 2023 in Beijing, China

  • 搭乘高速鐵路抵達香港

    請留意: 此內容此前並未譯爲中文。現依據當時所使用用詞，進行大體翻譯。

    在正好 2018 年 9 月 23 日 07:00 之前，我和我妻子搭乘高速鐵路列車抵達香港西九龍站。

    不過，這次抵站與以往差別不少。這是我首次在東亞地區，於鐵路車站內過關。此外，各地媒體關注此事，令其更加重要。

    我當時可能是首次在邊境管制區域內接受媒體採訪 — 中國內地和香港媒體都很好奇，這位來自瑞士的鐵路旅行者對於高鐵網最新一延伸段看法如何。由於深處邊境管制區，附近有不少安保人員，似如「大咖降臨」之感覺!

    確實，在所有提問中，有一個問題令中國內地執法者感覺不愉快 — 一些港人不喜歡該站，因部分車站處於中國大陸法律管轄範圍內。而當時，就此問題，我及時提出，這是高速鐵路運營第一天，早就首日做出結論，尚屬過早。此外，在鐵路車站通關並不陌生，如「歐洲之星」英歐各站，或此前瑞士巴塞爾站瑞法兩國區域之間。

    身爲搭乘首趟抵港高速鐵路列車的旅客，香港媒體請我爲新綫開通撰文。當然，我對鐵路是非常支持，但是我試圖在文中不要講「愛鐵路」元素寫的「過於濃厚」。不過，我仍表明，現在有了高速鐵路，不再須在北京首都機場排隊，可以直接透過鐵路網來香港。

    全新車站有三條港鐵綫相互連結 — 東涌綫、西鐵綫，及機場快綫。這些都位於「香港口岸區」，在完成口岸檢查手續，離開「內地口岸區」後即可抵達。由於我的瑞士護照個人資料頁 PC 卡片出現裂痕，所以中國邊防檢查讓我暫時等候。這個十分明顯問題攔住了我的出行，但在口岸工作人員告知我會到中國內地須儘早換發護照後，便准許我過關。而至於香港官員，他們並未認爲我的護照有甚麼問題。

    這段高速鐵路最好之處就是它直接接入中國境內其它綫路。旅客可以透過購買聯程票，使用「中轉換車」直接前往內地高鐵網任何一站。

    我期待日後多乘高鐵來港，但請允許我先用完我的航空里程，「逃」回北京…

    —
    2018 年 9 月 24 日 23:18 (世界協調時 +08:00) 於香港特別行政區撰寫。

  • Arriving into Hong Kong by High Speed Rail

    Please note: This content has been ported to the current blog. The dates concerned are as per the previous post (accounting for differences in time zones).

    Just before 07:00 on 23 September 2018, my wife and I arrived at Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station by High Speed train.

    But this would be an arrival like never before. It would be the first time we would cross borders inside a railway station itself in East Asia. Furthermore, media attention just made it an even bigger event.

    I gave what was probably my first meeting interview inside the border crossing itself on the day — media from both mainland China and Hong Kong were very much interested in how this globetrotting Swiss citizen on the rails thought about this very new addition to the network. This being a border crossing area, security staff were pretty much everywhere — so it almost looked like a celebrity appearance!

    There was indeed a question I was asked which got the ire of mainland Enforcement – the fact that some in Hong Kong just didn’t like this station, as it had a part of it under mainland Chinese legal jurisdiction. I answered back saying that this being the first day of rail services, it was too quick to jump to conclusions — plus, the notion of crossing borders at the railway station was not alien at all — take, for example, the juxtaposed border checks on Eurostar (or what we used to have at Basel railway station between Switzerland and France).

    Hong Kong media even invited me to pen an Opinion piece on my feeling of being on the very first train to enter Hong Kong by High Speed Rail. Being the pro-rail person I was, I tried not to go off the rails with lavish praise — but indeed, I was very happy that I would now be able to visit Hong Kong using only the rail network — no more long delays at Beijing Capital Airport to be expected!

    The new station finds itself with connections to three local city lines — the Tung Chung line, the West Rail line, and the Airport Express. Of course, these are all in the “Hong Kong port area”, which you get you after exit the “Mainland port area”, having completed Customs & Immigration. I was delayed for a slight bit at immigration, because my Swiss passport had part of the polycarbonate info page snapping… a serious design fault that seemed difficult to rectify… I was allowed to cross the border after being advised to replace the passport next time I return to Mainland China. Hong Kong officials, on the other hand, had no problems at all with the passport.

    The best part about this HSR connection into Hong Kong is that it links directly to the rest of the national High Speed Rail network in mainland China. Thus, by using Train Connections (and getting onward tickets), you can virtually get to any station in mainland China on the high-speed network.

    I look forward to visiting Hong Kong again by HSR — meantime, please allow me to cheat my way out, for now, using air miles which are just about to expire…

    —
    Posted at 22:40 (UTC+08:00 DST) on 24 September 2018 in Hong Kong SAR