Before I go on, I just want to briefly redefine the motivations behind this blog. By no means do I consider myself an expert on China or some of the issues that I discuss. I am constantly learning and reshaping my theories, so for those who regard themselves as high intellectuals and are irked whenever I misrepresent a group of people or a school of thought, please take my words as an ongoing journey through my mind as my eyes and ears discover China. I use what knowledge I have and the experiences I am given to make conclusions for myself, and that is the best I can do for now: "In the end, one only experiences one's self." -Nietzsche .
Where was I... I have been thinking about what I said yesterday concerning the possible options China and its government currently posses. Let me begin by saying the Communist Party is not a real communist government. They threw Marxism out the window when started allowing foreign investment, giving out passports freely to its citizens, and by joining the WTO. When Deng Xiaoping said "to get rich is glorious" and publicly admired the forms of government in Singapore and Hong Kong, he in essence took socialism of the pedestal and replaced it with a market economy. Leninism on the other hand is still very much a guiding philosophy that the Party strictly adheres to by maintaining strong central authority over the country, eradicating political dissidents and other "troublemakers", and of course by putting such a high premium on order and stability.
This unique situation is hard to predict but is fascinating nevertheless in how effective it has been. Living in China has really stretched me in all different directions - It is a never ending roller coaster ride as my perceptions and emotions are conflicted by China's split personalities: its old-age injustices and brutality on one side and its new found prosperity and accomplishments on the other. How do I morally balance China's personalities, how do I balance the lives of individuals to the well being of 1.3 billion, even if I was allowed to help, what exactly would I do - these are the questions and struggles that I face as I probe around China.
It is my understanding that China has two options: revolution or evolution. If the government today allowed free speech and press, exposed its mistakes, thus making clear what is delusion and what is truth, there is no doubt in my mind that people would take to the streets, the nation would experience fragmentation, and the global community would try to install quasi-democracies with popular elections as they did for Eastern Europe. It troubles me to say this because their is no justice in the world when Communist dictators preside over such an economic boom, but I do not believe democracy is good for China at this moment in history. Even an imperfect democracy is less likely to torture dissidents and obstruct basic human rights - which is very very important - and I know viewing democracy as an obstacle can be seen as heresy in America, but I think that certain developing countries require economic and social stability which is easily given by an authoritarian leadership.
By the time China creates a large middle class, who are wealthy and educated, dictatorship becomes a source of instability while democracy makes better political and economic sense. These people will yearn for more of a voice and take to the streets, and as long as the government has foresight, it will avoid chaos, and at that juncture we will see the emergence of a democratic state - not as sophisticated as America's - but one nonetheless.
Can China basically evolve into an wealthy democracy like Taiwan - although Taiwan only has 20 million people - or will China's individuals revolt too soon and bring down the empire. The Communist Party is aware of its extinction, for it is a certainty, but will they fall crashing down or gradually melt down. I now believe that the more likely scenario is a gradual peaceful evolution because its China's only chance to sustain its economic miracle while creating a political one as well.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Halloween
Happy Halloween everybody! Although, being in States during this spooky holiday is much more entertaining, I can say that every Halloween I have spent in Beijing (3 now) has been crazy fun. Luckily, the majority of American residents in Beijing are in their twenties, so every foreign bar and club in the city had some sort of costume party last weekend. While most urban Chinese are aware of this festival and understand the core concept, the rise of the dead and of all horrifying creatures, they do not know how different age groups can celebrate it.
Since no Chinese children ever went trick or treating or carved pumpkins with their families (except those few lucky ones living in suburban compounds with American families), they make no connection between Halloween and hoards of candy, haunted hay rides, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin pie, bobbing for apples, mischief night, and Halloween horror movies. Of course, when you become too old to receive lollipops at doorsteps, you turn this night of candy into a night of cocktails, and the only night of the year when you can wear (or not wear) anything you desire.
Many guys stay with the traditional scary (ghost, vampire, devil) especially for our Chinese friends that participate - to them this type of costume is the only one that makes sense. However, ladies have used Halloween to wear more scandalous outfits ranging from strippers to schoolgirls or sexy something (sexy devil, sexy witch, sexy bunny, etc.). Then there are those other costumes that are just amusing because they are either well done (pirate, ninja, cop) or they they are original and sometimes alarming - these can include a gay cowboy, a super sperm, or Mao Zedong.
I was Mao Zedong this year. At first, I was very hesitant to wear such a costume in Beijing. This man, although one of the worse and most destructive leaders in the 20th century, is still revered by many and will remain the father of Communist China as long as his portrait hangs at Tiananmen Square and his face is printed on the currency. Many young people have nothing good to say about this man, but then again, they have nothing bad to say either. When I discuss some of his accomplishments like unifying the nation and tearing down traditional barriers for women like foot bidding and concubines, it does not even compare to outweigh the horror that occurred during Mao's control (1949-1975). While the casualties of war were at a staggering number of 22 million (WWII - 19.5 mil., Civil War - 2.5 mil., Korean - 1 mil.), the deaths caused by Mao's reforms are estimated to fall in between 50-70 million. One reform called the Great Leap Forward convinced farmers that their only purpose as a Chinese citizen was to collect steel for transforming China's industrial base - less farmers led to less food led to 30 million dead from starvation.
It is amazing how easily it is to control the Chinese society into believing a history written by the Communist government, but I suppose without these lies and false heroes, the Chinese would have already overthrown the Party, sections of the country would break off, and we wouldn't be seeing a rising China but rather a stagnant post-Soviet mess. This is another topic for another day, so just enjoy the photos.
Since no Chinese children ever went trick or treating or carved pumpkins with their families (except those few lucky ones living in suburban compounds with American families), they make no connection between Halloween and hoards of candy, haunted hay rides, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin pie, bobbing for apples, mischief night, and Halloween horror movies. Of course, when you become too old to receive lollipops at doorsteps, you turn this night of candy into a night of cocktails, and the only night of the year when you can wear (or not wear) anything you desire.
Many guys stay with the traditional scary (ghost, vampire, devil) especially for our Chinese friends that participate - to them this type of costume is the only one that makes sense. However, ladies have used Halloween to wear more scandalous outfits ranging from strippers to schoolgirls or sexy something (sexy devil, sexy witch, sexy bunny, etc.). Then there are those other costumes that are just amusing because they are either well done (pirate, ninja, cop) or they they are original and sometimes alarming - these can include a gay cowboy, a super sperm, or Mao Zedong.
I was Mao Zedong this year. At first, I was very hesitant to wear such a costume in Beijing. This man, although one of the worse and most destructive leaders in the 20th century, is still revered by many and will remain the father of Communist China as long as his portrait hangs at Tiananmen Square and his face is printed on the currency. Many young people have nothing good to say about this man, but then again, they have nothing bad to say either. When I discuss some of his accomplishments like unifying the nation and tearing down traditional barriers for women like foot bidding and concubines, it does not even compare to outweigh the horror that occurred during Mao's control (1949-1975). While the casualties of war were at a staggering number of 22 million (WWII - 19.5 mil., Civil War - 2.5 mil., Korean - 1 mil.), the deaths caused by Mao's reforms are estimated to fall in between 50-70 million. One reform called the Great Leap Forward convinced farmers that their only purpose as a Chinese citizen was to collect steel for transforming China's industrial base - less farmers led to less food led to 30 million dead from starvation.
It is amazing how easily it is to control the Chinese society into believing a history written by the Communist government, but I suppose without these lies and false heroes, the Chinese would have already overthrown the Party, sections of the country would break off, and we wouldn't be seeing a rising China but rather a stagnant post-Soviet mess. This is another topic for another day, so just enjoy the photos.
CCTV
The new CCTV Building which will be erected in downtown Beijing before the Olympics and completed in 2009, will most undoubtedly be a modern architectural wonder not just for China but for the world. With a height of 230 meters and floor space covering 400,000 square meters combining space for administration, news, broadcasting, studios and program making, this massive building will be the second largest (in terms of floor space) in the world - only behind the Pentagon.The biggest challenge for the engineers is the unique structural form of the CCTV headquar
ters. The building is formed by two leaning towers which are bent at 90 degrees at top and bottom to give the impression of a continuous tube (I am sure there is a better way to describe the form but I think the pic does the trick).
ters. The building is formed by two leaning towers which are bent at 90 degrees at top and bottom to give the impression of a continuous tube (I am sure there is a better way to describe the form but I think the pic does the trick).Although this amazing structure, designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaa, will become an impressive symbol of the modernity and rise of China, it has of course met some controversy by those living in Beijing. Many believe that the government, the owner of CCTV, should be spending money on more pressing matters, like healthcare and education, rather than some cool looking building. Maybe they are right - $600 million for a building does seem like a lot money for a developing nation. Secondly, city planners are under the gun. It just doesn't seem logical to put the headquarters of one of the largest companies in China smack in the middle of the CBD (central business district) - ranked among the worst traffic locations on the planet. I am aware of the new subway line being built underneath it and the new underground labyrinth connecting all the major venues in the area, but.... they better know what they are doing or else.
Regardless, they have already started construction and are nearing the point when the two towers become connected - a delicate process that must take place 6 hours before sunrise to minimize the influence the sun rays have on the maleable steel.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Unlucky Rats
Chinese people have lost faith in a Communist government. Even though they are bombarded with propaganda, like in the People's Daily and on CCTV, most people tend to ignore it. Even though nationalism is a driving force in the economy, citizens pat themselves on the back for their own successes. And many people, including myself, believe that the leaders now make policy for sustainable development while the ideals of marxism-leninism and maoism have been abandoned.
The Communist party has lost its core, its cultish following, and has focused on making money - which tends to make the country happier and healthier. But despite this new-found respect for a market economy, the Party still insists on having the power to prevent and overthrow a rebellion and will take any action necessary (even above the law) to protect national stability. In other words, China's Communist Party has transformed from a totalitarian regime, where each individual was coerced into participating in the reforms while abiding to the tenets of Maoism, to an authoritarian government, where people are left alone to pursue their own lives and lifestyles as long as their actions and words don't undermine the authority of the Party or help foster social instability.
But with socialism and maoism evaporating from the hearts of the people, the government is afraid that it will be replaced with allegiances to another faith. A religion perhaps. The Party has thrown hundreds of underground priests into prison, Xinjiang (a Western territory with a large Muslim population) has seen strong religious oppression as the government tries to flood the region with Han Chinese, and Tibetan Buddhists are losing their culture and religion fast. The Dalhi Lama fled under Mao and a new regulation was just issued stating that if monks planned on reincarnating, they must seek state approval - rebellious souls could reek havoc!
Despite the Party's efforts, religion is still growing and it will be interesting to see how it spreads in China throughout the 21st century. But for most regular citizens, there is no religion to fill that void of comfort and faith. Without organized religion or faith in the idealism of a government, the Chinese have been forced into superstitions - and follow them religiously.
For example, 4 is pronounced similarly to "death" so there are no fourth floors in China. 8 is the luckiest because it is pronounced ba, close to fa, and facai means "become rich". If you are going to a wedding, an acceptable gift amount is 999 yuan because 9 is pronounced similarly to "a long time" which is hopefully how long the couple stay together. During holidays like Spring Festival, superstitions are extremely important. For Chinese New Years on every front door the character fu, meaning prosperity, is written upside down - "upside down" is pronounced dao and is similar to the word meaning "toward" - Prosperity Will Come To You.
There are dozens of such superstitions that involve a play on words but the craziest superstition I've encountered yet has to do with the Chinese calendar. We are all aware that the Chinese have a 12 year calendar with animals for each year. I thought is was fun, like the Zodiac, to read about the personalities for each year. But I recently learned that parents purposely have children on the luckiest years (which include the rat, pig, and especially the monkey). The superstition of giving birth during one of those lucky years is so powerful, that schools are having difficulties handling the fluctuations in class size. Imagine being a teacher or school principal and having to deal with 300 third graders one year, but 500 third graders the next. I'm a rat and that is traditionally very lucky since it is the first animal of the cycle, but my fellow Chinese friends hate being rats - especially those that had just graduated with a huge class and are now struggling to find work.
The Communist party has lost its core, its cultish following, and has focused on making money - which tends to make the country happier and healthier. But despite this new-found respect for a market economy, the Party still insists on having the power to prevent and overthrow a rebellion and will take any action necessary (even above the law) to protect national stability. In other words, China's Communist Party has transformed from a totalitarian regime, where each individual was coerced into participating in the reforms while abiding to the tenets of Maoism, to an authoritarian government, where people are left alone to pursue their own lives and lifestyles as long as their actions and words don't undermine the authority of the Party or help foster social instability.
But with socialism and maoism evaporating from the hearts of the people, the government is afraid that it will be replaced with allegiances to another faith. A religion perhaps. The Party has thrown hundreds of underground priests into prison, Xinjiang (a Western territory with a large Muslim population) has seen strong religious oppression as the government tries to flood the region with Han Chinese, and Tibetan Buddhists are losing their culture and religion fast. The Dalhi Lama fled under Mao and a new regulation was just issued stating that if monks planned on reincarnating, they must seek state approval - rebellious souls could reek havoc!
Despite the Party's efforts, religion is still growing and it will be interesting to see how it spreads in China throughout the 21st century. But for most regular citizens, there is no religion to fill that void of comfort and faith. Without organized religion or faith in the idealism of a government, the Chinese have been forced into superstitions - and follow them religiously.
For example, 4 is pronounced similarly to "death" so there are no fourth floors in China. 8 is the luckiest because it is pronounced ba, close to fa, and facai means "become rich". If you are going to a wedding, an acceptable gift amount is 999 yuan because 9 is pronounced similarly to "a long time" which is hopefully how long the couple stay together. During holidays like Spring Festival, superstitions are extremely important. For Chinese New Years on every front door the character fu, meaning prosperity, is written upside down - "upside down" is pronounced dao and is similar to the word meaning "toward" - Prosperity Will Come To You.
There are dozens of such superstitions that involve a play on words but the craziest superstition I've encountered yet has to do with the Chinese calendar. We are all aware that the Chinese have a 12 year calendar with animals for each year. I thought is was fun, like the Zodiac, to read about the personalities for each year. But I recently learned that parents purposely have children on the luckiest years (which include the rat, pig, and especially the monkey). The superstition of giving birth during one of those lucky years is so powerful, that schools are having difficulties handling the fluctuations in class size. Imagine being a teacher or school principal and having to deal with 300 third graders one year, but 500 third graders the next. I'm a rat and that is traditionally very lucky since it is the first animal of the cycle, but my fellow Chinese friends hate being rats - especially those that had just graduated with a huge class and are now struggling to find work.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
China Years
Despite having a Halloween hangover, which I will explain when my brain has recuperated, I was still able to tutor two Korean girls down in Wudaokou. As I biked home from class on this unusually beautiful afternoon, I noticed that the beginning of Houbajia (the ghetto along the tracks) was being torn down. Hundreds of homes and shops were being reduced to rubble. The law requires compensation to those that had been dwelling on this plot of land recently acquired by Qinghua University, but of course its silly to think that this law is justly interpreted by the local officials.
A plot south of there had already been cleared just before I came to live in the neighborhood . Currently there is an enormous hole at this site with migrant workers operating a newly erected crane, adding to the others on the block that are putting up new research facilities and office buildings. With this expansive destruction and construction, I can't help but refer to modernity and development like an infection, as it spreads to all corners of the city. This concept is not profound, indeed, but note that while the US took 100 years to develop its cities and our grandparents tell us stories of walking in the snow up an icy road to school, China is now the fastest developing economy the world has ever seen and its parents tell stories of no indoor heating, unpaved roads and a decade of no school. Such rapid growth is unfathomable until you see it happening with your own eyes and begin to accept that the commute to work on Tuesday will look different than that on Monday.
Houbajia and its residents are retreating at warp speed, and the new cosmopolitan is growing bigger and faster every day. I once told a friend that living in Beijing is like watching a child grow, but I later retracted my comment and said it is more like watching a puppy become a dog... 1 calendar year is about 5 China years.
A plot south of there had already been cleared just before I came to live in the neighborhood . Currently there is an enormous hole at this site with migrant workers operating a newly erected crane, adding to the others on the block that are putting up new research facilities and office buildings. With this expansive destruction and construction, I can't help but refer to modernity and development like an infection, as it spreads to all corners of the city. This concept is not profound, indeed, but note that while the US took 100 years to develop its cities and our grandparents tell us stories of walking in the snow up an icy road to school, China is now the fastest developing economy the world has ever seen and its parents tell stories of no indoor heating, unpaved roads and a decade of no school. Such rapid growth is unfathomable until you see it happening with your own eyes and begin to accept that the commute to work on Tuesday will look different than that on Monday.
Houbajia and its residents are retreating at warp speed, and the new cosmopolitan is growing bigger and faster every day. I once told a friend that living in Beijing is like watching a child grow, but I later retracted my comment and said it is more like watching a puppy become a dog... 1 calendar year is about 5 China years.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Chinese Getting Stronger
Just coming back from the gym, all I want to do is watch bad Chinese sitcoms and drink a chilled Coca Cola but before I do that I just want to mention a frustration of mine. I go to the gym earlier than most people so I can take advantage of the machines. Otherwise the place is congested with long waits to do certain exercises - a clear disrespect of quality control by the money-grubbing management. But even during the slow hours I have to wait because the trend in fitness is changing. 5 years ago Chinese people started getting obese and so when gyms first opened, the majority of the machines were treadmills and bikes. But as the younger crowds became more influenced by pop culture and became more self-aware of ones body and image, they learnt that a toned and athletic figure gave them sex appeal. More and more guys are becoming conscious of their narrow Asian frames and are hitting the weights.
Unfortunately, my gym is lagging in updating their layout of a few dozen treadmills and only one bench machine and one squat machine - the two most basic pieces of equipment used for weightlifting. So this corner, packed with buff Chinese men (who's elbows can't even touch) and me, use most of our time waiting for someone to finish.
Cardio workouts will always be an important part of any gym, but Chinese society is just beginning to learn the benefits of muscle building and having a more athletic body - clearly the Chinese Olympic Weightlifting gold medalists have helped inspired more gym lovers, I just hope that gyms around the country could spend more time on quality rather than the number of members.
Unfortunately, my gym is lagging in updating their layout of a few dozen treadmills and only one bench machine and one squat machine - the two most basic pieces of equipment used for weightlifting. So this corner, packed with buff Chinese men (who's elbows can't even touch) and me, use most of our time waiting for someone to finish.
Cardio workouts will always be an important part of any gym, but Chinese society is just beginning to learn the benefits of muscle building and having a more athletic body - clearly the Chinese Olympic Weightlifting gold medalists have helped inspired more gym lovers, I just hope that gyms around the country could spend more time on quality rather than the number of members.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
World Trade Center - Phase III
I am obsessed with new buildings, new projects, and anything to do with infrastructure. One of the most important projects in Beijing currently underway is the construction of The World Trade Center - Phase 3. The currently operating World Trade Center, located in the heart of the CBD, encompasses a 5-star hotel, office buildings, residential housing, a shopping mall, an ice rink, and an exhibition hall. Phase 3 will even be more extravagant with another hotel, modern shopping complex, grand ballroom, and offices. When erected it will stand 300 meters or 984 feet, making it the tallest building in the city. As the Beijing skyline becomes a work in progress, this mega tower will certainly become a symbol of new Beijing. Here are a few pics that I took last month of the project:
Monday, October 22, 2007
No Business like Show Business
This afternoon, while eating my lunch, I clicked through the channels to eventually select a Chinese program about travelling around Shaanxi Province. As I began watching a Western host spout out perfect Chinese on top of some mountain, I quickly realized that it was Cao cao. Cao cao was an ancient Chinese warrior and poet during the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and the name chosen by an American actor who has made his career in China. I had the pleasure to spend a weekend with this young man from L.A. when I was invited to be in a Chinese film as an extra. I already had a few commercials under my belt, one involving full body spandex, an exercise machine, machachas and techno music - it was trippy. Once, at a black and white dinner, I had to fool a whole group of investors that I was French while showing them French art in a real chateau outside Beijing - if they asked me any questions, I had to guess or lie.
But this Chinese film was a big motion picture. The director is the mom of one of my good friends from college and the lead actor was the Hong Kong star Aaron Kwok. Although I was just an extra, it was great to meet the stars and go through the whole process of costumes, makeup, and then literally waiting hours to shoot 30 seconds of film. Cao cao was pleased that my friend, Janine, and I were American since most of the time they are Russian and are just not as damn fun to talk to. Being on a movie set and meeting famous Chinese stars, including Cao Cao who has been here more than a decade, was an interesting and educational experience.
For the first location, we flew to Pingyao, an old preserved Chinese city, very useful for films taking place around the turn of the century. I was dressed up as a Chinese carriage driver working for a Catholic missionary.
The second location was in Tianjin, just south of Beijing. Janine and I barley got there because our driver kept falling asleep at the wheel as in began to snow. When we did arrive, we realized that we would be filming will a group of Russians and Kasaks (who eventually joined us in clubbing the next night). In these scenes we were all high-class imperialists walking the streets of a downtown coastal city. It was freezing, the costumes were thin and barley covered my body, and all I wanted to do was go to the bathroom... but the show must go on.
I forgot the plot, something about love, something about tradional China, making a choice between the West and the East - I am sure it will be a marvelous movie. I don't even remember the name, put I'll ask the director's son or Cao cao, and I will let you know when it will be showing at theaters near you!
But this Chinese film was a big motion picture. The director is the mom of one of my good friends from college and the lead actor was the Hong Kong star Aaron Kwok. Although I was just an extra, it was great to meet the stars and go through the whole process of costumes, makeup, and then literally waiting hours to shoot 30 seconds of film. Cao cao was pleased that my friend, Janine, and I were American since most of the time they are Russian and are just not as damn fun to talk to. Being on a movie set and meeting famous Chinese stars, including Cao Cao who has been here more than a decade, was an interesting and educational experience.
For the first location, we flew to Pingyao, an old preserved Chinese city, very useful for films taking place around the turn of the century. I was dressed up as a Chinese carriage driver working for a Catholic missionary.
The second location was in Tianjin, just south of Beijing. Janine and I barley got there because our driver kept falling asleep at the wheel as in began to snow. When we did arrive, we realized that we would be filming will a group of Russians and Kasaks (who eventually joined us in clubbing the next night). In these scenes we were all high-class imperialists walking the streets of a downtown coastal city. It was freezing, the costumes were thin and barley covered my body, and all I wanted to do was go to the bathroom... but the show must go on.
I forgot the plot, something about love, something about tradional China, making a choice between the West and the East - I am sure it will be a marvelous movie. I don't even remember the name, put I'll ask the director's son or Cao cao, and I will let you know when it will be showing at theaters near you!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Good Business
Recently, for work, I attended an education fair in Beijing with hundreds of universities all over the world represented to attract young Asian students to study in their institutions. As thousands packed this exhibition hall, I thought it would informative to check out the designated US Area. I was not surprised to see that most of these American universities were third-tier schools trying to market themselves like a business, but that the average price tag was 30,000 dollars. An American education is damn expensive for foreigners... and damn lucrative for those less prestigious schools trying to make a buck. With a price like that, how can over tens of thousands of Chinese students go abroad every year.
First of all, lets look at some rough statistics comparing the US and China. The US has a population of 300 million while China has the population of 1.3 billion. The US has 4000 schools of higher education, China has 1500. Of the 5.3 million Chinese that took the gaokao (like SAT)last year, 2.7 million (52%) attended college. Of the the 2.3 million Americans that took the SAT last year, 1.6 million (70%) attended college. Our market for education is so expansive that most Americans don't worry about getting into a college but which college to get into. In China, getting in in itself is a stressful and difficult journey. So China limits college to only those students top in their class.
So, as most poor rural students study their hearts out to fight for their only chance for a better life, an expanding class of comfortable urban students are hitting the books less and spend as much time as they can on the basketball court or in the Internet cafe. These children don't see how imperative education is because they have a relatively high quality of life already, and its more fun to play with friends, play sports, or join a band. And since extracurricular activities are not part of college applications in China, just test scores and marks, most of these children are going to find it difficult to get into Chinese college. But if your daddy makes a decent paycheck, he will take his child to the international college fair, hire consultants like myself, and send him to get a degree at a school in the US (more likely Canada, UK, or Australia). Its a win-win -win situation and as long as the economic boom keeps rolling more and more parents will do this.
Why now - why is this market suddenly exploding?
One, like I already mentioned, as the society gets richer, the students get lazier or more likely they get more modern, social, artistic, athletic, and overall rounded (but not as good at taking exams).
Two, with Dengs reforms came English classes. A small village in Gansu Province may not have electricity, but they have an English teacher. It is mandated by the state that all students in China start learning English by 6th grade, and some schools in Beijing have even started at 2nd grade. The importance given to English has created a generation of English speakers, most are horrific, but those who are not have a chance to broaden their horizons by going abroad. The English classes are getting better and China sees the need to communicate to the world being a member of the WTO while hosting special events like the Olympics next year. Taxi English is priceless since their only sentences may include "Beijing pollution is normally not this bad."
Three, with reform came population control, came the one-child policy. Chinese parents are getting richer because they only have one child, and these little emperors will then receive the best of the best. Their lives are scheduled around their children, and if their pampered child's grades don't surpass those of the fighting farm girl, give them an envious American education that can be easily bought.
These comfortable city single children are just starting to graduate high school and their parents see no choice but to pay for an overseas education, America has many colleges, China has many students, that's just good business.
First of all, lets look at some rough statistics comparing the US and China. The US has a population of 300 million while China has the population of 1.3 billion. The US has 4000 schools of higher education, China has 1500. Of the 5.3 million Chinese that took the gaokao (like SAT)last year, 2.7 million (52%) attended college. Of the the 2.3 million Americans that took the SAT last year, 1.6 million (70%) attended college. Our market for education is so expansive that most Americans don't worry about getting into a college but which college to get into. In China, getting in in itself is a stressful and difficult journey. So China limits college to only those students top in their class.
So, as most poor rural students study their hearts out to fight for their only chance for a better life, an expanding class of comfortable urban students are hitting the books less and spend as much time as they can on the basketball court or in the Internet cafe. These children don't see how imperative education is because they have a relatively high quality of life already, and its more fun to play with friends, play sports, or join a band. And since extracurricular activities are not part of college applications in China, just test scores and marks, most of these children are going to find it difficult to get into Chinese college. But if your daddy makes a decent paycheck, he will take his child to the international college fair, hire consultants like myself, and send him to get a degree at a school in the US (more likely Canada, UK, or Australia). Its a win-win -win situation and as long as the economic boom keeps rolling more and more parents will do this.
Why now - why is this market suddenly exploding?
One, like I already mentioned, as the society gets richer, the students get lazier or more likely they get more modern, social, artistic, athletic, and overall rounded (but not as good at taking exams).
Two, with Dengs reforms came English classes. A small village in Gansu Province may not have electricity, but they have an English teacher. It is mandated by the state that all students in China start learning English by 6th grade, and some schools in Beijing have even started at 2nd grade. The importance given to English has created a generation of English speakers, most are horrific, but those who are not have a chance to broaden their horizons by going abroad. The English classes are getting better and China sees the need to communicate to the world being a member of the WTO while hosting special events like the Olympics next year. Taxi English is priceless since their only sentences may include "Beijing pollution is normally not this bad."
Three, with reform came population control, came the one-child policy. Chinese parents are getting richer because they only have one child, and these little emperors will then receive the best of the best. Their lives are scheduled around their children, and if their pampered child's grades don't surpass those of the fighting farm girl, give them an envious American education that can be easily bought.
These comfortable city single children are just starting to graduate high school and their parents see no choice but to pay for an overseas education, America has many colleges, China has many students, that's just good business.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Packed like Sardines
Today I will go downtown to collect some money from a few tutoring agencies. To get down to the the CBD (Central Business District), I usually ride my bike to the light rail in Wudaokou and then take a 45 minute trip with two transfers. The first transfer is a pain in the ass, since the terminal of the lightrail in Xizhimen in under construction and one must follow a maze to an underground platform. At Fuxingmen I transfer from the 2 line to the 1 line which then leads me to the CBD.
I realize that this doesn't mean anything to out of towners, but I have been dealing with lines 13 (lightrail), 2, and 1 my whole stay in Beijing and I am frequent subway commuter. But just last week they opened up line 5, with line 10, line 8, and the airport express to follow suit within the year - so impressive. Not only have they been digging more lines for the Olympics, but they plan to replace every subway with brand new state of the art subway cars. This is China and when it comes to infrastructure they don't fool around. The new No. 5 line with the new cars are glorious - clean, digital, bigger, and more modern than anything in the US. And when I saw a man trying to spark up on a platform, without delay a security guard rushed over yelling for him to put it out. It feels good to see Beijing grow into a more modern and civilized city. The government is not going to stop at that Olympics - the plans that are currently drafted lay out a subway grid of 2020 that are more extensive than those in New York or London.
Last week they also made a radical change to the subway system by reducing the fare from 3 yuan to 2 yuan (25 cents) and making all transfers free. So when I commute to the CBD now it only cost 2 yuan, as opposed to 5 yuan a week earlier. This has created a great incentive for more people to take the subway, no doubt, but I believe that this new policy is counter intuitive. Beijing wants to lessen the traffic on the road because it is a nightmare and increase the traffic underground, certainly understandable. But lowering the fare without adding more frequent subways to keep up with the heavier flow has created a disaster in itself. Many of my expat friends have decided to take more taxis and many of my Chinese friends with cars have said that the crowds in the metro are too much to bare. It seems, the influx of passengers are not from those with cars or even a decent salary, but those who normally walk, bike, or take the bus. Remember that it doesn't matter how many people are on the bus, a bus is still a bus in traffic. Not only are their more people, and it hurts me to say this, but the passengers are certainly more uncouth and dirtier than before. I think it is great to give people of all social backgrounds and income levels the opportunity to travel the city cheaply, however as the income gap widens it will be a challenge to get those who can afford cars and those who shower once a week to cram into a subway together.
Yesterday I looked around my subway car to notice that I was the only person wearing a color other than black, brown, and navy blue (typical drab Beijing colors). As I started to process this observation so I could recall it in my blog, a weathered woman from the countryside put out a piece a newspaper on the floor in front of me and then held out her toddler with both hands as he relieved himself mostly missing the target while splashes sprinkled my shoe. I got off at the next station.
I realize that this doesn't mean anything to out of towners, but I have been dealing with lines 13 (lightrail), 2, and 1 my whole stay in Beijing and I am frequent subway commuter. But just last week they opened up line 5, with line 10, line 8, and the airport express to follow suit within the year - so impressive. Not only have they been digging more lines for the Olympics, but they plan to replace every subway with brand new state of the art subway cars. This is China and when it comes to infrastructure they don't fool around. The new No. 5 line with the new cars are glorious - clean, digital, bigger, and more modern than anything in the US. And when I saw a man trying to spark up on a platform, without delay a security guard rushed over yelling for him to put it out. It feels good to see Beijing grow into a more modern and civilized city. The government is not going to stop at that Olympics - the plans that are currently drafted lay out a subway grid of 2020 that are more extensive than those in New York or London.
Last week they also made a radical change to the subway system by reducing the fare from 3 yuan to 2 yuan (25 cents) and making all transfers free. So when I commute to the CBD now it only cost 2 yuan, as opposed to 5 yuan a week earlier. This has created a great incentive for more people to take the subway, no doubt, but I believe that this new policy is counter intuitive. Beijing wants to lessen the traffic on the road because it is a nightmare and increase the traffic underground, certainly understandable. But lowering the fare without adding more frequent subways to keep up with the heavier flow has created a disaster in itself. Many of my expat friends have decided to take more taxis and many of my Chinese friends with cars have said that the crowds in the metro are too much to bare. It seems, the influx of passengers are not from those with cars or even a decent salary, but those who normally walk, bike, or take the bus. Remember that it doesn't matter how many people are on the bus, a bus is still a bus in traffic. Not only are their more people, and it hurts me to say this, but the passengers are certainly more uncouth and dirtier than before. I think it is great to give people of all social backgrounds and income levels the opportunity to travel the city cheaply, however as the income gap widens it will be a challenge to get those who can afford cars and those who shower once a week to cram into a subway together.
Yesterday I looked around my subway car to notice that I was the only person wearing a color other than black, brown, and navy blue (typical drab Beijing colors). As I started to process this observation so I could recall it in my blog, a weathered woman from the countryside put out a piece a newspaper on the floor in front of me and then held out her toddler with both hands as he relieved himself mostly missing the target while splashes sprinkled my shoe. I got off at the next station.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Beijing's Greatest Extreme Sport
Yesterday I briefly mentioned the chaos on the street that I experience everyday as I bike to Wudaokou. This hot spot intersection in Beijing is known for its young crowds and liberal foreigner students that attend dozens of nearby universities such as Peking University, Qinghua University, and Beijing Language and Culture University. This commercial area is concentrated with IT R&D skyscrapers (like Google's), high-rise apartment complexes, a slew of bars and restaurants (many being Korean), dozens of English learning centers, KTV halls, Internet cafes, and a small army of street vendors (however it seems their presence is diminishing due to more mafan from the police). I attended Peking University for a semester but now I have three main destinations in Wudaokou: the light rail station, one of the many restaurants for dinner, or my girlfriends bar.
I live 10 minutes from Wudaokou in a fairly new area, surrounded by 3 other apartment complexes. Two dozen 20-30 story buildings is a lot of people, something like 20 thousand residents I believe. There are are two roads that lead to Wudaokou in the south. The one in the East is a large avenue with footbridges, office buildings, bike lanes, shopping centers, and more high-rise apartments. But the more direct route lies to the west of us - known as shuangqing road on the map however usually referred to as hobo street, gangsta street, or garbage street to others. Each name brings up a defining characteristic of this narrow two lane street with practically no sidewalks or bike lanes, creating a hellish passage to Wudaokou which I like to compare to Whitewater rafting down the Colorado.
Hobo street sounds like Houbajia which is the neighborhood that is crammed between shuangqing lu and the train tracks about a few hundred yards back. This area covered by hutongs, shacks, old brick and mud buildings without proper plumbing and shoty electricity houses thousands of lower-class citizens (economically and in the sense that they have no real ownership over the land) that have been driven back to the outskirts of Beijing because of the city's sweeping developments. I've heard stories that all of Wudaokou, outside the universities, looked like this only 15 years ago. Nonetheless, these people siphon out onto this street every day by the masses and they seem unphased by the dangers they face as dump tucks and buses swerve in and out of groups of small children and packs of motorcycles.
The street has been called Gangsta street because of one strip of 25 or so bike shops that sell and repair new bikes and second-hand bikes (all stolen of course..... I'm on bike #6). A round Beijing man runs the businesses and even has power in many locations in the center of Wudaokou. His business practices are said to be brutal, most locals in the area would not attempt to annoy him, his guanxi or relationship with the local police is strong, thus making him the gangsta of gangter street.
Garbage street is straighforward. The streets sidewalks are filled with recycled garbage making its way to the dumps, one being behind my building and as I write this I can hear the banging of metal that never stops. Not only are their mountains of newspapers or Styrofoam spilling onto the street but the three-wheeled wagon bikes that carrying the trash are the main cloggers. They stack crap 10 feet high (impressive really) sometimes with long medal poles out the back (increasing the chances of being shanked riding your bike to work), and they move at the speed of slowness (except for those with a motor but then its just damn scary). I realize the need for this type of work, I just know that there is a more efficient and safer way.
I can write some much about this road because I realize it is an integral part of my stay in Beijing. I've seen crazy accidents, I have heard the invitations of hookers that front as hairdressers, I have smelled the chou dofu (spoiled tofu - a popular but smelly dish), I have played with my life by cutting off speeding cars and playing chicken with garbagemen - I am now intertwined with the chaos.
I have yet to fall victim... today I will knock on wood and hope for the best.
I live 10 minutes from Wudaokou in a fairly new area, surrounded by 3 other apartment complexes. Two dozen 20-30 story buildings is a lot of people, something like 20 thousand residents I believe. There are are two roads that lead to Wudaokou in the south. The one in the East is a large avenue with footbridges, office buildings, bike lanes, shopping centers, and more high-rise apartments. But the more direct route lies to the west of us - known as shuangqing road on the map however usually referred to as hobo street, gangsta street, or garbage street to others. Each name brings up a defining characteristic of this narrow two lane street with practically no sidewalks or bike lanes, creating a hellish passage to Wudaokou which I like to compare to Whitewater rafting down the Colorado.
Hobo street sounds like Houbajia which is the neighborhood that is crammed between shuangqing lu and the train tracks about a few hundred yards back. This area covered by hutongs, shacks, old brick and mud buildings without proper plumbing and shoty electricity houses thousands of lower-class citizens (economically and in the sense that they have no real ownership over the land) that have been driven back to the outskirts of Beijing because of the city's sweeping developments. I've heard stories that all of Wudaokou, outside the universities, looked like this only 15 years ago. Nonetheless, these people siphon out onto this street every day by the masses and they seem unphased by the dangers they face as dump tucks and buses swerve in and out of groups of small children and packs of motorcycles.
The street has been called Gangsta street because of one strip of 25 or so bike shops that sell and repair new bikes and second-hand bikes (all stolen of course..... I'm on bike #6). A round Beijing man runs the businesses and even has power in many locations in the center of Wudaokou. His business practices are said to be brutal, most locals in the area would not attempt to annoy him, his guanxi or relationship with the local police is strong, thus making him the gangsta of gangter street.
Garbage street is straighforward. The streets sidewalks are filled with recycled garbage making its way to the dumps, one being behind my building and as I write this I can hear the banging of metal that never stops. Not only are their mountains of newspapers or Styrofoam spilling onto the street but the three-wheeled wagon bikes that carrying the trash are the main cloggers. They stack crap 10 feet high (impressive really) sometimes with long medal poles out the back (increasing the chances of being shanked riding your bike to work), and they move at the speed of slowness (except for those with a motor but then its just damn scary). I realize the need for this type of work, I just know that there is a more efficient and safer way.
I can write some much about this road because I realize it is an integral part of my stay in Beijing. I've seen crazy accidents, I have heard the invitations of hookers that front as hairdressers, I have smelled the chou dofu (spoiled tofu - a popular but smelly dish), I have played with my life by cutting off speeding cars and playing chicken with garbagemen - I am now intertwined with the chaos.
I have yet to fall victim... today I will knock on wood and hope for the best.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The Great Firewall
Well, its been a while since I've posted but I can rightfully thank China for that. Last summer when I was adamant about writing down my thoughts and stories of Beijing, I quickly discovered that my blog had been blocked. I don't know whether I was singled out in particular or all of blogger was unreachable, but it drained my blogging spirit. This sort of practice in China is not unusual. I have a feeling that this week, the Great Firewall of China has lifted its censors on me to concentrate on bigger fish. In Beijing, this week has been over shadowed by the the Commun!st Partys National Congress meeting which is held every 5 years (my upside down "i" was intentional). The session is very important in that it lays out the ground work for the next five years, appoints some new members for the 9 member Politiburo committee, and most importantly it will name Hu Jintao's successor who will take power of the country in 2012. The gathering of such influential men surrounding such important issues in an authoritarian state comes with it a security force unimaginable in Western countries. The army has locked down Tiananmen and all surrounding buildings, a policemen are placed on every corner and in every subway, and my usual media and networking websites have been blocked (new york times, wikipedia, facebook, livejounal). The Firewall employees that are numbered in the tens of thousands are also starting to censor websites that offer free proxy servers - its seems to be getting worse and worse.
I know I must sound like Mel Gibson in Conspiracy Theory but the truth is that Beijing is currently a police state with paralysed information and communication channels. Beijing Public Security Bureau has also taken advantage of their numbers on the street and have begun searching everywhere for foreigners and asking for their residence permit (for every day you do not have your permit after 24 hours of arriving in Beijing, its 200 kuai or 25 dollars). I have heard some terrible stories of outrageous fines from my expat buddies so I make sure that I am always up to date and in the clear.
But although my permit and visa are all in order, I do not deal with or talk to Beijing cops since they typically bring nothing but mafan, trouble. Yesterday, a policeman had put his arm out while yelling at me to get off my bike, for some questioning no doubt. I played dumb, said ni hao and sped away into a sea of cars, dump trucks, motorcycles, bikes, rickshaws, garbage wagons, mobile vending stands, and pedestrians. In China, you don't need to be very fast to outrun a station wagon (the standard cop car in Beijing).
I know I must sound like Mel Gibson in Conspiracy Theory but the truth is that Beijing is currently a police state with paralysed information and communication channels. Beijing Public Security Bureau has also taken advantage of their numbers on the street and have begun searching everywhere for foreigners and asking for their residence permit (for every day you do not have your permit after 24 hours of arriving in Beijing, its 200 kuai or 25 dollars). I have heard some terrible stories of outrageous fines from my expat buddies so I make sure that I am always up to date and in the clear.
But although my permit and visa are all in order, I do not deal with or talk to Beijing cops since they typically bring nothing but mafan, trouble. Yesterday, a policeman had put his arm out while yelling at me to get off my bike, for some questioning no doubt. I played dumb, said ni hao and sped away into a sea of cars, dump trucks, motorcycles, bikes, rickshaws, garbage wagons, mobile vending stands, and pedestrians. In China, you don't need to be very fast to outrun a station wagon (the standard cop car in Beijing).
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