New yet Old – Modern yet Ancient

One of the interesting facts of life here in China is how it is truly a modern country which is not what I expected. I have friends who are Expats from the West who are living in Africa or have lived in Africa. When I hear their stories about life there, I often feel that as exciting as it would be to visit, I don’t think I would want to live there. (Sorry Albert, the infrastructure doesn’t seem to be well developed through much of that continent.) So when we were thinking of moving here, even though I had read volumes of literature about life in China, I was a little wary of what conditions we would find. Upon arrival, it was so nice to find so many of the modern conveniences that we take for granted in Western lands (our apartment has running water, electricity, internet access, and is even setup for cable). Sometimes when people think about China, they envision either the Dynastic version, glamorized in movies, of the warring clans, of kung fu monks protecting the villages from plundering brigands, or the Mao Era version from the height of the Cold War that depicts a bleak existence. Today’s China is much different than any of those. When it comes to modern infrastructure, it is closer to the US or Europe than to Africa. There are probably more skyscrapers in China than anywhere else in the world, and there seems to be more being built all the time. There are over 52 cities in China with a population of at least one million. (Compare that to the reported nine US cities with a population of at least one million according the US Census Bureaus’ 2006 estimate and you get an understanding of why this is the case). Modern appliances like refrigerators, microwave ovens, and washing machines are commonplace. Electronic devices like mp3 players, mobile phones, flat-screen TVs, and laptop computers seem to be used by everyone and are surprisingly affordable. As this country continues its rapid advance thru the modern age, there are so many things that remain the same, however. Even with refrigerators, many people still buy their food fresh each day at open air markets instead of super centers like Wal-Mart or Carrefour. At these markets you can find fresh fruit and vegetables, and even live poultry. On the same street that you find ultra modern buildings with apartments for let to those who can afford it, you can see places that have housed untold generations of the same family. Despite the prevalence of motorized transport, one of the chief means of getting around is still either walking or going by bike. This holds true when it comes to the transporting of goods as well. An often relied upon means of getting goods from point A to point B is either strapping them to the back of a bike or carrying them on the ends of a stick draped across a person’s shoulders. Both methods are still in use today. People still use coal briquettes as a major source of heating. You can still walk down almost any street and find vendors selling the same things they have for years, or find someone to fix your leather goods right there on the street using a really old sewing machine. There is still a village feel to things despite all of the advances.
There are a couple of TV specials that give a good look at China from different vantage points. One was done by PBS and is entitled “China from the Inside”. It is a four part series that nicely shows different aspects of Chinese life. The other is a BBC production called “Wild China”. It looks at the distinct wildlife that still flourishes in China. If you get the opportunity to view them, I think you will find that China is a country that is both modern and ancient, and is a fascinating place to be. – Frank

Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still - Chinese Proverb