Shanghai Lo.

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A few years back, I booked a tour for China, which included Shanghai, Xian, Beijing and Guilin. My image of Communist China was heavily influence by the TV programs and Social Studies books of my early years which was of People dressed in blue pants and jackets, with Red Books of Mao quotes in their hands and of Poker faced guides spewing out optimist statistics of their country economic and social successes. Also coloring my thoughts was perhaps a classic photo in textbooks of a Landowner bound and kneeling before a peasant's court with soldiers with rifles in hand, pointed at the accused. Also images from newspapers of Intellectuals being led though streets by angry students shaking fists at them, and forcing them to wear dunce hats.

Of course I've read China has change since then and is now almost completely Capitalist, at least, economically. My first glimpse into the real China was through Shanghai. I knew from the papers that it was a city determined to be the new Hong Kong, so I had anticipated many new high rises. However, the Bund, a row of Commercial Building built in the early 1900's by Western Foreign Business is what I mostly was interested in seeing, as it was the most photograph view of Shanghai in our history books. Happily it was included in our first tour of the day.

All around I saw many demolished heaps of buildings and the guide confirmed that many old areas were being razed, for new business. She also admitted many were not happy about it. People no longer wore blue suits, but dressed pretty much like their counterparts in the Western country do, though perhaps not as fashionable. On the way to the hotel from the Airport, there was a fist fight, between a bicyclist and a motorist, and luckily a policeman happened to be nearby. The guide was visibly shaken, so I guess it must not be a common incident.

Though the guide did tend to sound like a tape recorder when describing a site, she also answered questions sincerely and unscripted. Her opinion in one case was that the U.S. should stop meddling in China birth control policy, as she felt their population problem was not the same as ours.

Aside from the Bund, I found Shanghai Old City quite interesting and fun. I'm not sure if it was genuinely Old, or just constructed to look like Old China, but I thought the architecture was quite beautiful. There were young Sedan Chair carriers, dressed in ancient costumes, who for some unknown reason would race their patrons around the Mall at breakneck speed. I guess it was meant to be a thrill ride and not just a saunter.

At night, roaming the streets, I noticed where there were demolished buildings, there were guys who set up lawn chairs on the site, possibly hired to prevent looting, during the night. Not a bad way to earn money, eh?

Before the tours, which started around 9AM, I liked wandering the side streets near the Hotel, where it seemed like I was deep in old rural China. Street Markets were set up, with heaps of vegetables and pans of live fish and seafood. Stalls were set up for fast breakfast of fried bread, which looked like Baguettes and bowls of porridge. Especially interesting was a boy, about 13, helping his father make sesame peanut candy. He seemed pretty much in charge of the operation and would cut up the candy which was made in a large tray, and blocks of it packed in plastic bags, for waiting customers. Hope he gets to attend school somehow.

Of course one cannot not noticed the crowds of people everywhere and cars and bicyles cramming the streets. Crossing the streets was a frightening experience as drivers don't seem to know yet about pedestian's right of way. Only way, I dared to cross the street, is when there was a Native, waiting to do the same.

Also saw buses jammed packed with people, and in one case school children with their faces pressed up against the window bar. They didn't seem particularly distressed by this, so I assume it's just a way of life for them.

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Photos

Old City.
Guide on Right.

Exhibition Hall.
Built by the Soviets.