It’s nearing the end of week two in China and I’ve not even lifted pen to paper, or finger to keyboard. Given I have a six hour bus journey ahead of me, I thought I’d catch up and start with my top ten generic observations on life in China.
At the beginning our trip, our group leader (Jakkie) gave us one piece of advice ’embrace the bizarre’, perhaps not a truer word spoken… Here’s my take on the bizarre place that China is.
1: It really is huge, and very crowded. Small cities here have a population of nine million! As such, the single child policy is still practiced although there are ways around it; that is if you have lots of cash or are willing to quit your governmental job. Traditionally families have wanted boys (yes, we have all read the horror stories of the ’90s) yet that’s seems to be changing and little girls are desired. Not only are they cuter, but they will they look after you in old age and it’s considerably cheaper to raise a girl; as parents save up all their life to buy their son’s first apartment.
2: Beijing is regaled as the ‘City of Dreams’ and young folks are attracted to it like bees to a honeycomb. Unlike other socialist regimes, if you work hard, perhaps go to university, there is the opportunity to improve your life. Unlike Cuba, people are not all paid the same so the motivation exists for progression and gives people hope; maybe that’s why Beijing epitomises the cultural shift that is happening in China today?
3: Young people here do feel hopeful and believe they can change their lives if not the political landscape; at least not in their life time. I am not au fait with policy, ethos and government, yet there are some examples I can share with you. There really is only one political party and although the current chairman (is that the right term?) has only been in situ for one year, out of an eight year term, people already know who the next person in power will be! Our Western belief of a tightly controlled system and no freedom of speech does not seem too far from the truth; at least on the surface. A visit to Tian’aman Square saw three police vans embark on a little old lady who was distributing anti-government leaflets. Likewise, I found it very difficult to believe that the majority of Chinese are unaware of ‘Bloody Friday’ and the student killings back in 1989. There was no reporting of it, so how would they know? This leads me quite nicely onto my next topic; social media.
4: Many commentators are hopeful that the advent of social media will impact upon life on China. As many of you may know, given my absence from it for the last couple of weeks, Facebook is blocked in China, as too YouTube and many other websites (my blog included, hence the delay in posting these updates!) I am not sure whether these sites are seen as too ‘westernised’ and a bad influence, or whether it’s about controlling information distributed to the masses so propaganda can be more easily distributed and the truth hidden?
The baby boom of the 80s saw many kids in the late 90s jostling for the best jobs with many heading overseas to study masters or even emigrate, this combined with social media channels has enabled messages to become viral and make it more difficult for the government to regulate. So, if knowledge equals power, what impact will this have on China in the future? Despite my liberalist leanings, the ‘red’ in me questions if this can be a good thing for the masses? This takes me to my next point (I feel as if I’m back at Univ and composing a essay here!), ethnicity in China.
5: China is seen as a homogenous entity, however with a population of 1.34 billion, 56 different ethic groups and three main religions; Taoism (based on balancing ying (moon) and yang (sun)), confusicism philosophy and Buddhism, and a sharp divide between rural and urbanites; it seems that the uniting factor is socialism and the state.
They are very proud race, taking great pride in their history and achievements, as such i wonder what affect sharing with them ‘our’ westernised view on their history and our democratic ideals will achieve? Of course, allowing them the right to voice freely their own opinions and politics separate from the state can only be good, but whether this freedom will change things for the masses I am unsure. In fact, maybe the majority of them don’t want to change? It is so easy to observe and compare and contrast with our own experiences when the life we live and our history and beliefs are literally a million miles apart… Ok, enough of my ramblings on the socio-political state of China; let’s get down and dirty!
6: Earlier in the year someone told me that the toilets in China are the worst in the world. For some reason, I put this thought to the back of my mind! Wonder why? However, they were right; I can honestly say that as bathrooms go, these are bad, very bad. It’s not just the squatting thing or the loo roll in waste paper bins, these things I can cope with; it’s the lack of cleanliness, privacy and smell. I have pee’d in toilets with missing doors, no doors and floors swimming in pee. Not only will my clothes need a serious dose of disinfectant when I return, I will be bathing in bleach 😉
7: While I’m on the subject of things a westerner may find difficult to get their head around in China, I must mention spitting, pushing and levels of noise. I’m not sure that coming to China after a fortnight in Japan was the best idea. Following the serenity, politeness and cleanliness of the Japanese, China appears rude, loud and dirty! Stepping off the plane in Beijing it seemed as if someone just turned the volume up full blast!
8: However, hands down to the Chinese for their cooking prowess. OMG, I have probably tasted the best dishes ever across the last couple of weeks. What’s more, it’s cheap. I don’t think we have paid more than £5 per meal and this includes a bottle of beer! Talking of cheap, cigarettes are 50p per packet of 20! There is a high proportion of the population that smoke and although many may not be rallied to a non-socialist cry, there apparently will be a revolution should the government impose a tax on these!
9: Chinese folks like to dance, mostly in the streets (randomly outside banks seem a good meeting place for a dance-off), in parks or squares. There is also a wide variety of dance moves; from your arm swayingly graceful lady line dancing to Blackpool Tower ballroom. I also came across a singing group, a chap reciting poetry as he wandered about and a wonderful old man practicing his sword movements on the city walls of Xi-An.
10: The Chinese ‘green cross code’ does not exist. When you cross any road in China you are taking your life into your own hands. Stop, look, listen, just doesn’t cut the mustard here and although there are red and green lights, I have a small inclination that the Chinese may be colour blind 😉 However, we have mastered a technique – of sorts – when you cross the road just keep your head down and keep walking, Chinese drivers have an innate ability to not knock you over, well here’s hoping!
Ok, three hours of thoughts later. Promise the next few Chinese posts will contain mostly pictures. Bye for now x
House of Wendy travels... 