It is interesting how the world outside China stumbles on some of the little big things that all of us living here already know and so it was that a report in today's 'New York Times' made interesting reading. In the article, "In Changing Face of Beijing, a Look at the New China " the author made some interesting comments about China's bombastic attempts to show the world a new post-modern China and nowhere is this more obvious than in Beijing and it begins on arrival at the new Beijing Airport. However, he goes on to add how this impression of that new ultra modern China is deflated on the way to the city when he states that many of the appartment buildings that are only a couple of years old are already decrepit.1 Interesting observations and nothing new here for us "old China hands" and there was me in my first, very modern, apartment in Suzhou opening a cupboard door only for it to come away in my hand. Of course, quality can be found but it is a rarity and things are built here to look good and not to last and not to worry if in a couple of years they don't look good because by the time a couple of years comes along it will be time to rip them up and build anew. Should I visit Beijing again in the near future I will of course be taking in the great wall, the forbidden city and the summer palace again. Indeed, knowing the Chinese it could be that in five years time or so they will be rebuilding the great wall out of unbreakable glass so a visit there is almost essential ..... still, I will also have to have a quick look at the new airport, the CCTV building and the birds nest, for who knows in a few years they too might be unrecognisable from what they are now.
The picture above shows the new CCTV television headquarters.
1 comment:
The short-term mindset of the Chinese in their building .fixtures and fittings, are of course reflected in the abundance of products made in China, that fill our 'POUND' shops here in the UK, with products that barely last until you get them home in the plastic bag produced in china. Is china in the run up to the Olympic games 2008, guilty of 'Le Grand illusion' in there disneyesque idea of nation building? Where all buildings can have the new facades replaced as one would with a mobile phone cover? Lets hope the good old Chinese put on a sterling show at the up-coming Olympic games, as I have a geat affection for our Chinese brothers, historical ingenuity in matters of construction ie: the great wall of china and durable art forms that we in the west delight in the simplicity of their complexity.
Posted by: Gordon Macdonald, Glasgow UK.
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