Beijing photos 4

We had a fancy conference banquet last night. I thought the decor of the restaurant was so nice I took some photos.







Wine room (not exactly a cellar).



Entrance.



Hostesses :-) (Homage to Maoxian!)



A picture of a distant relative of mine, found on the wall.



After dinner I rushed over to the Beijing Friendship hotel (near Renmin University) to meet with the most famous teacher of mathematical prodigies in China. When I arrived he was already talking with his former student, my BGI collaborator. BGI recently gave the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices to a sample of his students. (Stay tuned!) During our conversation, he bemoaned the number of his top pupils now working at banks and hedge funds. Given the economic conditions in China there is tremendous pressure on talented students to pursue money rather than a scientific career. (See below.)