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On the afternoon of October 13, Sīmǎ Nán 司马南, a well-known Chinese commentator and online influencer, held a live broadcast from a mall in Xuchang (许昌), a small city in Henan province.
The outspoken influencer, who is often criticised online for being even more politically correct than Hu Xijin 胡锡进, began his broadcast at 5:10pm, but was interrupted after only 13 minutes. Footage from the livestream showed staff intervening and asking him to leave, saying that live broadcasts were not allowed.
The mall is Pangdonglai (胖东来), which translates to "Fat Donglai", a reference to the name of the founder, Yú Dōnglái 于东来.
With a total of nine malls in Xuchang (许昌) and Xinxiang (新乡), two small prefecture-level fourth-tier cities in Henan, Pangdonglai has gained a reputation in China for innovative retail strategies, and its exceptional customer-centric shopping experience.
One of the customer-centric policies of Pangdonglai, as influencer Sima Nan was about to discover, is the prohibition of live broadcasts from inside the mall:
It’s not that only Sima Nan wasn’t allowed to livestream, but due to complaints, all livestreams have recently been discouraged.
不是不让司马南直播，而是因为被投诉的原因，最近劝阻了所有的直播。
A spokesperson for Pangdonglai further commented that all livestreams were prohibited to protect customer privacy and personal safety.
Pangdonglai has become so popular in recent years that it has evolved into a tourist destination in its own right, with fans planning weekend breaks to Xuchang to visit the mall.
Visitors from all over the country are making their way to Henan to pay homage to it. Some even describe it this way: 'There are only two types of supermarkets in China: Pangdonglai and the rest.'
全国四面八方的游客，都正为了朝拜它，而踏上了赶往河南的旅途。甚至有人这样形容：中国只有两种超市，胖东来和其他。[1]
In December 2023, the Zhengzhou Airport to Xuchang intercity railway opened, with the journey to Xuchang taking less than three hours. On social media, some users referred to this line as the "Zheng-Pang Line" (郑胖专线).
Others have shared online that during their evening commute back to Zhengzhou, nearly every passenger on that train has a Pangdonglai shopping bag.
One of Pangdonglai’s service innovations is to inform customers on what they are buying, as one writer notes:
"Because wherever you go, you can see the product information cards that Pangdonglai provides 'to prevent you from feeling confused and anxious due to lack of knowledge.'
In the past, I only knew that butter was better, but I didn't understand the difference between it and margarine.
Pangdonglai informs you with a label. It understands you might not know everything and even helps fill in the gap. 'I even learned the right way to choose a watermelon here at Pangdonglai.'"
因为走到哪，都能看到提前准备好的商品小百科，“以防你因为无知而感到迷茫和紧张。”以前只知道动物奶油更好，但不知道具体和植物奶油有什么区别，胖东来直接用牌子给标好了。它理解你的无知，甚至还试图教会你。“甚至连怎么挑西瓜，都是来了胖东来终于学会了。” [1]
According to media reports, shoppers appreciate Pangdonglai for other reasons too, including the ability to skin fruits and vegetables before weighing them, the transparent explanations of potential health risks, minimal charges for the first shopping bag used and no charges for further bags, and a straightforward layout that allows customers to avoid frustrating detours through different sections of the store.
Its pricing strategy also helps.
Pangdonglai's own-branded products are cheap, low margin but high quality. Whereas branded products tend to come at a premium as people don't mind paying more given the excellent customer experience.
This approach boosts the purchasing power for other products with normal profit margins, ultimately driving profitability.
这个模式能带动对其他毛利率正常的商品的购买力，从而赚钱。 [4]
This strategy is working.
According to a video posted in April this year by founder, Yu Donglai, Pangdonglai made around 10 billion yuan (approximately $1.4 billion) in 2023, achieving a profit of 140 million yuan (around $19.5 million). His target at the start of the year was a profit of 20 million yuan (approximately $2.8 million).
This makes his mall more profitable than three of the biggest supermarket businesses in China. In 2023, Yonghui Superstores (永辉) reported a net loss of approximately 1.9 billion yuan (around $260 million) for 2023, while RT-Mart (大润发) generated a modest profit of only 109 million yuan (approximately $15 million). Jiajiayue (家家悦), a smaller player, achieved a net profit of 136 million yuan (approximately $19 million).
Pangdonglai is also praised as a good employer, taking care of its employees with policies such as restricting shifts to six hours, and closing its stores on Tuesdays, as one writer explains:
While other supermarkets announce “business as usual” during holidays, Pangdonglai’s official notice states “closure as usual”.
No matter how many people are in line, even if a big shot shows up, the store remains closed on Tuesdays. “Working overtime is not acceptable, as it deprives others of their time.”
别的超市节假日通知是“正常营业”，胖东来的官方通知是“正常闭店”。管你天王老子来了，再多的人流量，周二都得休息。“加班就不行，是剥夺别人的时间。” [1]
This has set it apart from many retail brands in China, such as Manner Coffee, which is described as a "sweatshop" by some of its employees.
Unusual for China, company founder, Yu Donglai is also not looking for rapid expansion and investment-fueled growth, something else that companies like Manner Coffee have been criticised for.
Founded in 1995, Pangdonglai peaked with over 30 department stores and supermarkets in Henan, achieving annual sales exceeding 5 billion yuan (around $700 million). Just as the company was experiencing rapid growth and expansion, it began closing stores in 2014, now with only nine malls in operation.
Yu Donglai explains why:
"Too many stores can be exhausting. I just want to keep things simple."
He stated on Weibo that Pangdonglai's vision is straightforward: to create a model and a culture that embodies optimism, freedom, confidence, and an understanding of how to live and enjoy life."
“店太多太累，只是想简单一些。”于东来也在微博写道：其实胖东来的想法很简单，就是要做一种模式，一种文化，乐观，自由，自信，会生活，懂生活。[4]
So, that's what we're exploring this week!
🎧Podcast preview: In this week’s member podcast, we dive into popular imported phrases used in this context which are confusing when directly translated! Discover terms like “Amway” (安利), “seeding” (种草), “clocking-in” (打卡), and “special forces” (特种兵). Tune in at the 8-minute mark to boost your language skills, build confidence, and master these on-trend expressions to make your Mandarin sound effortlessly natural!
Favourite Five
1. 安利 ān lì
to promote enthusiastically, to recommend strongly
被河南朋友疯狂安利后，也会特意打卡拐个弯抵达这里 - After being enthusiastically recommended by a friend from Henan, I would even be willing to make a detour just to check it out. [1]
Note: A phrase from the sales strategy of Amway (安利), a multilevel marketing company that used to be big in China.
2. 黑神话 hēi shén huà
black myth; legend
胖东来这家河南本土超市，早已成了商超领域的“黑神话” - Pangdonglai, this local supermarket from Henan, has already become a legend in grocery retail. [2]
Note: A reference to China's most successful video game ever, Wukong: Black Myth, which was released in August. Its popularity is so great that "black myth" has become a phrase referring to a stunning or “legendary” success or a product or company in a particular sector.
3. 特种兵 tè zhǒng bīng
special forces, intense activity that only special forces go through
这位特种兵打工人连续工作7天之后还如此有精神 - This hardworking individual still has so much energy after working for seven consecutive days, as if he was trained like a special forces soldier. [1]
4. 一举一动 yì jǔ yí dòng
every move, every action
它像是商超界的“顶流网红”，一举一动都备受关注 - It’s like a top influencer in the grocery world, where every move it makes receives a lot of attention. [4]
5. 眼见为实 yǎn jiàn wéi shí
seeing is believing
这个企业是不是太过神仙了？其实过誉了？他想去一趟胖东来，“眼见为实” - Is this company really as amazing as they say, or is it overrated? He wants to visit Pangdonglai to see it for himself. [4]
More: Read more about the grim origins of this in tomorrow's Sinica Phrase of the Week.
Consuming the Conversation
Useful words
6. 气质 qì zhì
character, temperament
很多人一直以为“胖东来”的气质，是个亲切而接地气的老大哥 - Many people always thought that Pangdonglai's character was like that of a friendly and down-to-earth big brother. [1]
Related:
底气 dǐ qì - confidence
7. 不输 bù shū
not inferior to, on par with
结果到了现场，才发现它实体店的气场不输奢侈品商场 - When they arrived at the store, they found that its atmosphere was on par with luxury shopping malls. [1]
8. 朝拜 cháo bài
to worship, to make a pilgrimage
来胖东来朝拜的人，都不是为了去采购 - Those who come to Pangdonglai on a pilgrimage are not there just to shop. [1]
Related:
朝圣 cháo shèng - to make a pilgrimage, often with a sense of reverence
9. 打卡 dǎ kǎ
to check in, to mark one's visit (usually at a popular location)
现在是旅行打卡爱好者内心一座必拜的人文山头 - It has now become a must-visit cultural landmark for travel enthusiasts who love checking in at iconic spots. [1]
10. 火爆 huǒ bào
popular, in high demand
到了2023年，胖东来的火爆，从线下进一步延伸到线上 - By 2023, Pangdonglai's popularity had expanded from offline to online. [4]
Three-character phrases
11. 蹭流量 cèng liú liàng
to ride the wave of popularity, to gain traffic by association
排斥普通网友去蹭流量搞直播很容易理解 - It’s understandable that they reject people who try to gain traffic by doing livestreams. [2]
Note: A phrase we discussed in January when tourist destinations tried to replicate the success of a Harbin marketing campaign.
12. 碰钉子 pèng dīng zi
to be rebuffed, to hit a snag
司马南这次之所以碰个大钉子，只是因为他遇上的，是本身并不缺流量和话题度的胖东来 - Sima Nan hit a snag this time because he was at Pangdonglai, which already has enough popularity and attention. [2]
13. 战利品 zhàn lì pǐn
spoils of war, acquired goods
