Mongolia and China, two polars

In Mongolia I thought the question "Mal cyrag targon tabtai you?" (Are your animals fattening well?) was just one keyhole into the door of the Mongolian culture. And indeed it was. Now that I am in Beijing amongst 20 million (versus the 2000 or so in Tariat--the village I volunteered in as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mongolia between 2002 and 2004) I am looking for a keyhole and have yet to find one. More to come on this...