13 June 2010

Incredible changes in Shanghai

There have been remarkable changes through all of China, but the pair of photos above resonated with me because in 1987, three years before the top one was taken, I visited Shanghai and walked along the Bund on the near side of the Huangpu River.   There was interesting boat traffic, pleasant friendly people in the streets, and the architecture along the Bund was a mixture of turn-of-the-century Western neoclassical/Art Deco/whatever.  Lujiazui, across the river, was essentially nothing when I was there.  Now (bottom photo from 2010), everything looks different. 

All this change within a fraction of my lifetime.  It even boggles my Western mind accustomed to change; it must be almost incomprehensible and disorienting to older Chinese.

Image credit.
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5 comments:

  1. JoanneJune 14, 2010 at 9:27 AM

    I can't be sure about older Chinese people in Shanghai, but I know older Chinese people in Hong Kong are very quick to adjust to change and nothing really fazes them. I think it's a little bit of a misconception that elderly Chinese people are very conservative and old-fashioned.

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  2. AnonymousJune 14, 2010 at 11:58 AM

    As someone who's been traveling to Southern China for 20 years, I'm amazed at the rate of change. Places I visited in the 90's were unrecognizable in 95, different again in 2000, different again in 2005.

    To think that many mainland Chinese of my age (mid-50's) were facing starvation 40 years ago - it's amazing how far that country has progressed.

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  3. AnonymousJune 14, 2010 at 8:36 PM

    It's as if NYC built on top of Central Park. Would that be progress?

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  4. BadresaJune 15, 2010 at 12:26 PM

    I'm torn too. All that beautiful land, covered in steel and concrete. but it's pretty beautiful steel and concrete, so I'm just not sure.
    at what point does progress become reckless. Where are the citizens going to relax and breath and enjoy some natural growing things. I hope there are parks in the new Shanghai

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  5. AnonymousJune 17, 2010 at 7:13 PM

    i lived in china for a year and loved finding the little nooks where antiquity still existed...and was overwhelmed with the desire for western developments...seeing the old communities torn down was very sad and im aghast to hear that the central govt is tearing down kashgar in the far west (the last city on the silk road heading into central asia) due to apparent 'sturctural' issues (re insurgency)...wandering around the old town in kashagr was amazing...peeking through the heavy doors to get a glimpse inside and coming across beautiful uigyr children playing in the streets....sigh...its a real travesty- another tibet really...people being forced from their lands in fear....for all of the neo glitz in china they have such a loing way to go until the find the balance! but in saying that, the western world doesnt do too much better does it!?

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