rogerluli Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/7340/zjw01028ns1.jpg I have this pic on a slide show on my 'puter at work. A co-worker saw it and asked if it was from the earthquake area in China... I asked why he thought that and he replied because the houses were all SMOOSHED together... I explained that Chinese villages and cities have from time immemorial been built like this for defensive purposes because China is situated in a rough neighborhood... Also it is an extremely efficient use of space as the fields these folks farm are all arrayed around the village and there is no wasted space for frippery like lawns because China needs all the farmland it has to feed itself... We here all know one heck of a lot more about China than almost anyone we may run into. I take every opportunity to educate... my fellow Americans about China and I bet you do to... Link to comment
Aiwen & Jim Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I remember the 1st time I went to China. I had no idea what to expect. The US coworkers who went before me came back with horror stories so my expectations were tainted some but having an open mind I decided that I would see for myself and not let their opinion influence me. I was 1st very surprised at how modern China was. The picture the US workers gave made it sound very backwards but that was not what I saw. I also was expecting military police to be at every corner but that was not to be found either. I was impressed with the open markets and how freely people moved about, not the McCarthy era picture I had been given. I also found that I loved "real" Chinese food. My only disappointment was the polution. It still concerns me and I hope the problem will be solved some day. I had forgotten those thoughts until you posted this. It reminded me of the stereotypes that I had been exposed to and how after I returned to the US I tried to explain to my friends and relatives how different it was from the stereotypes that are common here. It was hard to convince them until I showed the photos of my trips. Link to comment
Dennis143 Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 We here all know one heck of a lot more about China than almost anyone we may run into. I take every opportunity to educate... my fellow Americans about China and I bet you do to... Heck, I learn something everyday. Just like your post today, Rog. I amaze myself. Especially, when I hear an ignorant remark made about China or Chinese in general and I attempt to educate... I do believe that most of us are more immersed in the Culture than we may realize. Heck, it's certainly awfully difficult to tune out Chinese when living with a Chinese wife or husband...nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Link to comment
Aiwen & Jim Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I do believe that most of us are more immersed in the Culture than we may realize. LOL! My mom says I've turned into a Chinese Link to comment
Robert S. Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Roger, this is a really nice post and Jim has made a good addition to the thread. I hope to be able to go see the old China before it is all gone, but all I have seen is Dalian which is so supermodern. Nobody asks me about China, but when they do I try to talk along the lines you guys have mentioned. I hope that China can maintain its self-identity despite coming into the modern age. Link to comment
rogerluli Posted June 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I remember the 1st time I went to China. I had no idea what to expect. The US coworkers who went before me came back with horror stories so my expectations were tainted some but having an open mind I decided that I would see for myself and not let their opinion influence me. Jim when I first put up pics of laopo at work before I went to China my coworkers said... that I had been duped and when I arrived to meet HER it would turn out to be a HIM... who had sent me pics of a Chinese movie star... HE WHO LAUGHS LAST LAUGHS BEST... Link to comment
rogerluli Posted June 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Roger, this is a really nice post and Jim has made a good addition to the thread. I hope to be able to go see the old China before it is all gone, but all I have seen is Dalian which is so supermodern. Nobody asks me about China, but when they do I try to talk along the lines you guys have mentioned. I hope that China can maintain its self-identity despite coming into the modern age. Well Robert I think olde China is contained within new China...I'm always interested in the contrast between the two when I am there...But it does make a startling difference to get out to small towns and see the countryside to see more of the old... Link to comment
rogerluli Posted June 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 We here all know one heck of a lot more about China than almost anyone we may run into. I take every opportunity to educate... my fellow Americans about China and I bet you do to... Heck, I learn something everyday. Just like your post today, Rog. I amaze myself. Especially, when I hear an ignorant remark made about China or Chinese in general and I attempt to educate... I do believe that most of us are more immersed in the Culture than we may realize. Heck, it's certainly awfully difficult to tune out Chinese when living with a Chinese wife or husband...nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Yup Dennis we are up close and personal with China every day... Link to comment
IllinoisDave Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Roger, this is a really nice post and Jim has made a good addition to the thread. I hope to be able to go see the old China before it is all gone, but all I have seen is Dalian which is so supermodern. Nobody asks me about China, but when they do I try to talk along the lines you guys have mentioned. I hope that China can maintain its self-identity despite coming into the modern age. Well Robert I think olde China is contained within new China...I'm always interested in the contrast between the two when I am there...But it does make a startling difference to get out to small towns and see the countryside to see more of the old... I agree Rog. I love the contrast between old and new. I look forward to future trips and getting out into the countryside to see more of the old before it disappears. Link to comment
georgeandli Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Only twice for me, and both times I had locals who wouldn't let me mess up. Beijing in 04, booming with construction and GUZ last year. Had great times and looking forward to going back. Link to comment
shushuweiwei Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 I was 1st very surprised at how modern China was. The picture the US workers gave made it sound very backwards but that was not what I saw. I also was expecting military police to be at every corner but that was not to be found either. No military police but it can be a pain getting stopped a few times on those long bus trips for ID card checks. My first time with that I thought I should be prepared and have my passport ready. The officer was looking at the floor putting his hand out for cards and he didn't look up after he had his hand out to me. So I gave him my passport, which got him to say EH? and look up. He saw me and laughed quite heartily then tossed my passport back at me. At least it made him smile the rest of his trip down the aisle. My fiancee said, "They do this in America?" I said, "Well, not yet." Link to comment
NewDay2006 Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 I was 1st very surprised at how modern China was. The picture the US workers gave made it sound very backwards but that was not what I saw. I also was expecting military police to be at every corner but that was not to be found either. No military police but it can be a pain getting stopped a few times on those long bus trips for ID card checks. My first time with that I thought I should be prepared and have my passport ready. The officer was looking at the floor putting his hand out for cards and he didn't look up after he had his hand out to me. So I gave him my passport, which got him to say EH? and look up. He saw me and laughed quite heartily then tossed my passport back at me. At least it made him smile the rest of his trip down the aisle. My fiancee said, "They do this in America?" I said, "Well, not yet." Never happened to me in 5 trips to China over 5 years and easily over 12 cities Link to comment
Guest Tony n Terrific Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 The trips I have made to China I was always treated with courtesy by their customs officials both entering and leaving China. I zipped right through without a hitch. Link to comment
rogerluli Posted June 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 On the tangent of ID checks... Yes if you travel enough by bus and train in China you will occasionally have police come through doing checks...There is a lot of theft on these modes of transport so I certainly don't mind seeing the long arm of the law out doing their jobs... Getting back to the wealth of knowledge that Americans possess about China... The one thing they do know is that all Chinese are very poor and work for 28 cents/hour... Of course on the other hand...Chinese know that all Americans are filthy rich... I think nothing that has been done so far to get Americans to see a real picture of China will compare to the upcoming Olympics... Link to comment
ameriken Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 (edited) Speaking of old and new, that is exactly what named this pic I took in 2005....."old and new". It is the Jin Mao building in Pudong, appearing dwarfed by an old building in Yu Yuan Gardens. This is one of my favorite pics. http://i32.tinypic.com/b54rjr.jpg Edited June 22, 2008 by ameriken (see edit history) Link to comment
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