MOFA

The lobby to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or MOFA, where I go every few months to sip tea and receive a lecture on our "wrongdoings," our efforts to "smear" China and the "damage" we've done to the country. It's usually delivered by a very amiable guy in his 40s who speaks impeccable English with a British accent and who invariably declares at some point that "I love my Party," while two silent staffers sit taking notes. Then, the lecture over, we relax into a more candid and comfortable conversation.

The meeting rooms are usually dominated by a painting. This is one in a room I've been to several times. I've been meaning to ask what the subject is - most certainly the depiction of a historical literary scene.

My guess is that it refers to some ill-fated voyage by an official because, off to the side, someone seems to be urging him to go the other way.