多棱鏡

Can haz eduCation？

The internet is abuzz with “Asians sleeping in the library，” but what about cats？ Nanjing， Shandong， Suzhou University and Dalian University of Technology are among the many institutions of higher education that have their very own cats running around campus. So， who are these cats that micro bloggers are raving about？ Let’s take a look at some of their （nine） lives.

The University of Chemical Technology in Beijing is home to one particularly proud cat. After sneaking into the amphitheater to escape the cold of winter， this cat could not get enough of physics. Alumni， staff and students alike had figurative kittens when they realized their furry friends had in fact given birth on campus.“好萌啊！ ” （H2o m9ng a！） many netizens exclaimed， unanimous in their praise for this loveable pair. Peking University also boasts its share of furry critters. Last August， the beloved “Academic Cat，”who had been pawing through philosophy and arts lectures at Beida （北大） since 2004， got some feline love. After fracturing the femur in her left hind leg， students raised more than $280 to pay for the cat’s operation. Today， the Care Association of Stray Cats continues to recruit new students every semester to feed homeless cats on campus. - RaChaEl WOlff （吳瑞琪）

FaShion and the FiRSt LadY

Over two decades ago， Peng Liyuan （彭麗媛） became famous for odes to brave soldiers. Little did she know， she would one day start her very own revolution… in fashion. While Peng holds the rank of Major General in the People’s Liberation Army， this has certainly not kept her from becoming the object of China’s fashion-minded futurists.

It all started during the President’s first overseas tour to Moscow. Peng turned heads with her simple silhouette. “I love your trench coat！ I love your purse！ Where did you get them？” cried all the bloggers.

The lucky designer was none other than Exception de Mixmind. Established in 1996， Exception is now a household name and billion dollar enterprise with over 60 stores in Shanghai， Beijing and Guangzhou， The creative genius fueling the brand is fashion designer Ma Ke（馬可）. Like any true artist， Ma Ke reeks of irony. Her newest brand， the high-end Wuyong （無用）， literally translates as “useless.” While the process behind the designs is simple， including weaving on a 19th century loom and using techniques from the Dong ethnic group （侗族）， the collection was artsy enough to walk the runways of Paris Fashion Week. The accompanying photography exhibition and documentary stand in contrast to Ma Ke’s typical outdoor fashion shows， complete with dancers and tai chi performers.

While The New York Times likened Peng to Michelle Obama， First Lady Peng can be proud that all she wears is designed and made in China. - R.W.

taStY toad ovaRieS

The French thought they had it good feasting on frog’s legs， but they had no clue how good the Chinese had it， gobbling down frog’s ovaries.

Known as hasma （雪蛤 xu0h1）， hashima or harsmar， the exact identity of this frog part is a bit of a mystery. Some consider hasma to be the frog’s fallopian tubes， while others classify it as the fatty tissue lining them.

Regardless， hasma is rumored to be the perfect “beauty tonic.” With hormones， proteins， lipids and vitamins galore， hasma reputedly removes excess water from the body， increases oxygen flow and enhances memory. You can find hasma on the insides of the female Chinese forest frog located in China’s northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang， Jilin and Liaoning. Supposedly， the frog is most nutritious right before winter hibernation.

Once caught and dried， the fat surrounding the frog’s ovaries is removed. After a complicated double-boiling process， the end result is a tapioca-looking concoction that tastes like， well， nothing.

Hasma is fairly bland， so it is typically combined with rock sugar to be used as a thickener in soups or served as a dessert. One hot hasma specialty is “three snow soup” （三雪湯 s`nxu0t`ng）， featuring the Chinese snow pear and snow fungus. Cold dishes pair hasma with fruit or coconut milk. Hasma is also sold as dried flakes in grocery stores and pharmacies for a hefty price tag that can begin at several hundred dollars.

The only caution with hasma is not to overdose. You really don’t need all those extra hormones， do you？ - R.W.