Chinese Facade: Shanties and Skyrises

Beijing has undergone tremendous modernization at a breathtaking pace. In only the past few decades, and especially within the last five years, a Beijing in puberty has broken out in glitz and color and highrises. The Beijing bigwigs a the top of the decision making totem pole are trying so incredibly hard to attract investment and gain world status by creating a modern Western-style city where one has not existed before. Modern Beijing is an elaborate facade built to impress foreign visitors and businessmen. Everywhere we (foreigners) travel, the streets are lined with tall modern buildings, bright colors, and flashy signs (and people who want your money.) The Chinese culture which I have described on this blog for the past few months – persistent prostitutes, beggars, hawkers of cheap fakes, and DVD salesmen – I believe only exists in areas where the Chinese are in daily contact with Westerners and our money (which pretty much describes everywhere I have been for six weeks, save one trip to the rural Great Wall, and a vacation in Tokyo.)

I think that this new warped opportunist mindset which leeches off of the decadence and gullibility of foreigners is a new phenomenum. “Foreigner” in Chinese is “lao wai,” which translated directly means, “respected outsider.” Before this weekend I would have thought that “give me money” might have been a truer translation.

I found a part of Beijing completely void of white folk like myself, and I experienced for the first time the Chinese society which has held this people together for a thousand years, but I had to get completely lost to find it. I meant to get lost, though.

We had two more days of blue skies last week – that doubles the number of non-smoggy days I have seen here so far. Friday and Saturday were beautiful; the sunlight and semi-fresh air stirred up my exercise instinct and I started my run due west (towards the sunset) at about 6:30. One and one-half hours later, I found a Houtong neighborhood: old houses, narrow dirt roads wide enough only for bikes and pedestrians, roadside shops with polite clerks, and friendly people who never once asked me for money.

The community seemed very close; people were everywhere just sitting around talking, playing badminton or pool, eating cuisine I had never seen before, drinking 2 Kuai (25 American cents) beer, and flying kites (I clothes-lined myself on an invisible kite string, much to the amusement of its owner.) I liked the relaxed social atmosphere; I did get some stares, but when I stared back, I usually got a friendly wave or a smile. There was not a single prostitute, beggar, or fake DVD salesman to be seen.

I have heard that so many Beijingers are being moved from Houtung shanty towns to crowded skyrises and apartments and which I think is a shame. Today, most Chinese still live in the traditional manner, but Houtongs in Beijing are dwindling in number, and those that still exist are walled off and well hidden from the ‘respected outsiders.’ I wonder if the common people are really happier with this new reality, or if the Houtung life might be more natural and fufilling for these Chinese which I saw.

I paid a fruit stand guy 4 quai for bananas (about 52 cents), and he gave me 11 of them to stuff in my backpack. Moral of the story? It is possible for a white man to find an honest Chinese merchant... you just have to get lost.

Peace All - Life is amazing, just taking it all in one day at a time!