Beijing and Shanghai

I decided to post both my Shanghai and Beijing experience in one post. Why? Well, because both cities are in so many aspects different from each other and thus putting them in one post allows for a more careful comparison.

One city representing the new China, a vibrant melting pot with money and commodification (Mao lighters will surpass Che Guevara Ti-shirts, mark my words) written all over its face. Shanghai seems to be beyond the reach of the Communist Party and its crony tentacles (I am outside of China, so I can finally be honest). The city relies on innovation, entrepreneurship and plain business instinct. From a tourist perspective the metropolis seems belong to beautiful people enjoying a beautiful life. Living in Shanghai must be relaxing and easy: Indian curry, German Schnitzel, kosher and helal food, great big Spanish olives, etc, etc. And that all around the corner!

Shanghai equals design

However, beauty and comfort often coincides with superficiality and ignorance. Outside the realm of Pudong and Nanjing Lu, lies another world. Resettlements of thousands of Shanghainese who have been living for generations in the same house, but are now forced to move away from their soil. If development means modernisation (or "destroying the old to build the new"), than the price is high. Entire neighbourhoods across China being destroyed in return for higher economic growth, Shanghai is an example par excellence. In fact, growth figures are often faked by city governments to receive more benevolence/ support from the centralised authorities in Beijing).

Skyline as there is only one

In shanghai, both the price of art and the success of artist are determined by the hidden hand of the market. Beauty does not lie anymore in the eyes of the beholder, but is instead determined by ..... fashion. Provocation became a product and just another tool to sell more. I remember my conversation with an artist. I asked him about the reasoning behind his abstract paintings. He responded:

"fact is simple; companies come and tell my agent [!] to paint something abstract with the colours of their choice, colours which are depending on the company's corporate culture [....]. I then start painting and finish the whole thing in not more than one hour or so, depending on the size of course".

That conversation robbed me from a lot of idealism and romanticism. But it is characteristic for a city like Shanghai. A city where the expats don’t bother to come out of their houses and instead prefer to sniff lines of coke as breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, life is easy going in Shanghai and freedom is easily obtained.

How different is Beijing. Many people I met complained about the corrupt nature of the officials and their numbers in the Chinese capital. The city is huge, possibly the biggest city I have ever visited. The streets are wide and consist often of 8 to 9 lanes (takes you a long time to cross, believe me :)). There are many things wrong about Beijing, the city is a down right disaster in terms of its urban planning (if there is any). Doing business is impossible, unless you know the right people and they know you. And censorship in the arts is considered to be part of every day life.

Skin Cream

However, Beijing is more than that. Beijing is also a city of expats, which apparently seems to be in "harmony" (to use a Chinese word) with the city and its citizens. Westerners speak the language and have no problem getting to know Chinese friends (whether rich or poor). Beijing is as well the city of Hutongs (although more and more seem to be disappearing). One could say that Beijing is really China. You can feel the city as if it was an old house. The streets would be its corridors, which lead to big and small squares that form the different rooms in the house. However, what is China really?

A hutong and its proud resident

In the end it really is an interesting thing to compare the two cities. Both cities complement each other and together explain both the past and the future of the country. I still have no idea which city I prefer, but I don’t think I really have to prefer. I love both.

Love,


Marijn