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You're now in commentary . . . |
Topic: Which China do you prefer - old or new?
Old China: Traditional architecture, bicycles, Mao suites.
New China: Shiny new shopping malls, expensive cars, designer clothes. Me? I'd go for old China any day. 13 May 2011
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Me? I'd go for old China any day....
Do you mean you'd live in it, or enjoy watching an hour long Discovery Chanel special about it from your sofa? Your "old China" is from when to when? Traditional architecture is still being used, people are still riding bicycles, and there are still quite a few Mao-style suits on the streets. Are you suggesting that "old China" ended when malls were built, people became wealthy enough to purchase cars, and they had a choice as to what to wear? If I were comparing "old and new" China, I'd give dates, and probably add a few more aspects such as healthcare, education, transportation, plumbing, human rights, law, sanitation, and so on. That Mao-suit wearing bicyclist biking home to his "traditional" house might seem cool to you, but you should think about the other parts of his "traditional" life.
13 May 2011
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I think it all depends on what a person likes.
I personally like the old one, not the communist one. They destroyed the good things about the old China.
13 May 2011
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Hiding from the red guard, struggle sessions, frequent famine, mao suited proletariat publicly killing the bourgeoisie or...
Mass consumerism, expanding middle class, exploitation of the working class and ample food for everyone. Its a no brainer
13 May 2011
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'Old china' = hardship... My parents tell me often how lucky I am living in the modern world.
13 May 2011
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Considering China has been around nearly 5000 years or so...calling 1949 to 1990's "old china" seems silly. Perhaps you could focus your terminology, to allow a bit of respect for the time before Mao.
or not.
13 May 2011
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At the rate the world is accelerating in information, technology, communication, computing etc and given China is developing faster than any other nation I would say that the 1990's is old China.
13 May 2011
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Damn GuiLao putting a beat down on Laowai...
I'd go for Newer China... Bicycles, Electric Cars, Monorails, Shinier Shopping malls and buildings all around, no spitting/baby peeing on streets, people queing correctly and being 'friendly' on the road/street.... And free rocket ships for everyone!!!! i love communism - KJI 2
13 May 2011
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i agree with benny19
in 1990, i watch black and white tv, no telephone, no computer, didn't even know there is something call chocolate, as a 6 years old kid, i had to do a lot of work to get paid 1 cents to buy a candy, and ....... it was really quite hard life at the time.
13 May 2011
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Sorry, I really didn't ask this properly and it's led to a lot of misunderstanding.
What I meant was, as foreigners visiting China, do you prefer going to places with old fashioned charm such as Lijiang's old town in Yunnan and water towns in Zhejiang, or do you prefer something ultra modern like Pudong in Shanghai and Beijing's glitzy business district?
13 May 2011
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Firs time I came Xiamen was 11 years ago...
I read so many complains from poor unhappy foreigners here about how Chinese people behave and how they should behave, criticizing their culture and heritage... I just wonder how would those foreigner think about China 10 years ago... New China is just great and it's getting greater each day...
13 May 2011
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Ok, now thats a lot less ambiguous.
Lijiang is a great place, as are Dali old town and minority villages way out in western Sichuan. In these places you can get a sense of how China looked centuries ago. Even though I would take a holiday to these places over Shanghai and Beijing any day, it shouldn't detract from the pros of modernity. For me, one of the many fascinating parts of China's culture and identity is in the sheer contrast between the old and new, this is highlighted in Shnaghai and Beijing.
13 May 2011
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For me, I would like to go back to Tang Dynasty or even earlier. Just wanna experience what's the life like when there's no shiny shopping malls, expensive cars or designer clothes...
13 May 2011
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Hey robertmorrison that wasn't a smack down, I was just driving the point that enjoying the idea of old China and living in old China are two completely different things.
I wish we had some more Chinese WOX members to respond, I think their opinions would be interesting. When giving my opinion I feel a bit like walking into a friend's grandparents' house and giving them suggestions on how to arrange their furniture, it's not really my place to say what's better or worse.
13 May 2011
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Oh, Then it's different...
I work with natural resources and have been a lot in the rural side of China. It's a lot different than the big cities. I've been in places that look like they froze in time. I have to say I like to balance between the nem and the old. I lived in Shanghai and was great to just bike outside downtown and get in the old city villages (the same type as Taikang Art Center)... people was often surprised to see a lawai over there as it's not a normal touristic spot. The mountain villages around Fujian are amazing too...
13 May 2011
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I first visited China in Beijing in 1998. It was fascinating. Now, Not so much. Happy they got a Fat Burger's now though when I visit from Xiamen.
However, I'm happy for the people im China who can enjoy a better life now. It's just a shame so much history has been destroyed in the process. Some day the Hu Tong's (sp?) may be gone in Beijing.
14 May 2011
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