The lights of the city have been switched off but the city itself remains lively nonetheless. The atmosphere here at the Riverside Promenade east of the river Huangpu has not dissipated one bit and he doubts it has on the Bund west of the river either. People here continue to savour their decadent Western coffee whilst enjoying the view like he is or having a good laugh with friends now that the week is over. He expects it to be the same on the Bund. Peddlars still trying to sell their curios whilst people walk along the promenade and enjoy the view.
After a week in Shanghai, he still hasn't yet grasped nor understood the Chinese. He has his hypotheses but they are largely unfounded, based merely on his limited observations. Everything seems pretty obvious on the surface. Things haven't really changed much in essence since dynastic China. Confucianism and Buddhism still seem to play a major role in Chinese lifestyle although they are slowly becoming less and less consequential in today's modern society, clearly evident in the lifestyle of the youth. However, certain deep-rooted practices will remain for some time yet.
As for Communism, China seems pretty much untouched by it. Well, at least for Shanghai. The economy is booming and most corporations apply the capitalist model of the West. It would seem that Communism only applies to the country's politics. But politics affects us all, whether we like it or not. And so he suspects that deep down, it's not really that simple. And this eludes him completely. It would take him a couple of years in China before he can comprehend this.
After a week in Shanghai, he still hasn't yet grasped nor understood the Chinese. He has his hypotheses but they are largely unfounded, based merely on his limited observations. Everything seems pretty obvious on the surface. Things haven't really changed much in essence since dynastic China. Confucianism and Buddhism still seem to play a major role in Chinese lifestyle although they are slowly becoming less and less consequential in today's modern society, clearly evident in the lifestyle of the youth. However, certain deep-rooted practices will remain for some time yet.
As for Communism, China seems pretty much untouched by it. Well, at least for Shanghai. The economy is booming and most corporations apply the capitalist model of the West. It would seem that Communism only applies to the country's politics. But politics affects us all, whether we like it or not. And so he suspects that deep down, it's not really that simple. And this eludes him completely. It would take him a couple of years in China before he can comprehend this.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment