Shenzhen
Here I am in Shenzhen...ground zero of China's Gilded Age. Thirty years ago, Shenzhen literally didn't exist; it was a typically stagnant Chinese village that happened to border Hong Kong. Now, it is a city of ten million, none of whom are from here. There are no old buildings in Shenzhen and I'm unsure if there are any old people. The city exists for one reason only: to do business and to make money. There is scant culture, no history, and little charm; unless greed counts as charm.
Think about the clothes you're wearing now; they were probably stitched here. Many of the items you own may have been manufactured here as well, shipped from the port a mere 800 meters from where I type. Many of the young men and women toiling in Shenzhen factories are migrant laborers, coming not from a foreign country (as in the US) but from the poorer inland provinces of China. These migrant workers- of which there are over 100 million in China- receive no services from the state and often live in ramshackle apartments that dot the perimeter of the city.
Thirty years ago, China closed the book on Maoism and began considering economic reform. They saw Hong Kong, shining like a beacon just beyond its border, and decided to emulate it. Thus Shenzhen- and four other cities- were born as "special economic zones". A fishing village in my lifetime, the city is now larger than any in Europe and all but two in North America. In ten years, its port will likely surpass Singapore in size and become the busiest in the world.
Perhaps from my description you picture a dystopian nightmare, but from my limited experience here much of the city is quite pleasant. The area around Shekou port resembles San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, a tourist trap I avoid when home but find oddly reassuring here in China.
I spent an hour or two clothes shopping, hoping to find bargains on items that are eventually destined for the shops of the developed world. The Chinese I meet all seem shocked that I speak their language, as few of the expat businessmen have reason to learn Mandarin. I make a point to ask them where they come from; and they all oblige- Guangxi, Henan, Hunan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Hubei natives have all spoken to me. When they describe their home, they speak with wistful pride, perhaps knowing that their future is thousands of miles away, here in the buzzing Pearl River Delta.
Perhaps I should explain what I'm doing here; I'm tagging along with my two supervisors as they do business with port operators, businessmen, and government officials. Tomorrow we're off to Hong Kong, and I'll be certain to have a thing or two to say about my favorite SAR.
November 13th, 2008 - 10:41
I don’t think it’s right to say “Thirty years ago, Shenzhen literally didn’t exist; it was a typically stagnant Chinese village that happened to border Hong Kong. Now, it is a city of ten million, none of whom are from here. There are no old buildings in Shenzhen and I’m unsure if there are any old people. The city exists for one reason only: to do business and to make money. There is scant culture, no history, and little charm; unless greed counts as charm.” As you admit in that very paragraph, there was a village there 30 years ago- actually the city probably gobbled up several villages. I often wonder about those original villages, their people, language, culture and history. I suspect they’re all still there for those who know where to look. Still, I do find it a little odd when I find myself in a city that is younger than me.
Crossing from Hong Kong to Shenzhen is a hell of a shock! HK, too, was largely a city of immigrants, but they’ve been there longer and are more settled and- those from other parts of China, at least- were assimilated a long time ago. It’s all Cantonese and traditional characters, it feels settled and solid. Then Shenzhen is suddenly good Putonghua, simplified characters, and rootless.
November 29th, 2008 - 17:04
Nice post u have here
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