A rainbow of changes over China's last 20 years
- Source: Global Times
- [21:43 September 27 2009]
- Comments
By Harvey Dzodin
If China were a person, it would be thinking of retiring, reflecting on life's events and wondering about the future.
As for the People's Republic, though, 60 years is a mere blink of history's eye. At 60, however, China is also taking stock, but instead of retiring, is moving full speed ahead to a bright future for its 1.3 billion people.
Napoleon foresaw China's greatness in 1803 when he famously said, "When China awakes, the world will tremble." Few, however, could have predicted the meteoric rise of China back on October 1, 1949.
In my opinion as a foreigner observing China firsthand, beginning in 1988 and continuously for the past six years, one has to conclude that the Communist Party of China has generally done an incredible job of leading a backward agrarian country to the greatness that China previously maintained for much of its history.
This is especially true since Deng Xiaoping's reform and opening-up policy was announced three decades ago.
Much of the China I remember of 1988 was gray and poor. Sure, there were exceptions, such as Guilin, the Great Wall, and the Forbidden City. Mostly though, I remember uninspiring utilitarian look-alike buildings, and look-alike people dressed in the same frumpy unisex uniforms that we cannot really call stylish. These people in turn were traveling as a massive flock of Flying Pigeon bicycles.
What is most surprising to me is just how much of China has been fast-tracked to modernity in such a short time.
China in 1949 was like a silent movie. The China I first experienced in 1988 was black and white. Fast forward now to the present and China 2009 is not only in vivid color, but majestically displayed on a giant IMAX screen as well!
The greyness has been replaced by a rainbow of colors, especially green. Beijing has many new parks, including the expansive Chaoyang Park where I love to boat and hike, as well as the new Olympic Forest Park that straddles the Fifth Ring Road.
Like New York, Beijing now has its share of iconic, innovative buildings too.
Not only do we have the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube but a host of others such as the new CCTV headquarters. Colored building lights seem to be everywhere too. Many buildings are innovatively lit up at night and add to the excitement and vibrance of the city.
Modern buildings seem to be sprouting everywhere all over China. I see this trend even in small towns and cities.
Last month I went to Rizhao in Shandong Province. Little more than a sleepy coastal city recently, now it is full of beautiful buildings and beaches with plans for much more to come.
As I write this, I am looking out my hotel window in Yongkang, Zhejiang Province and see numerous skyscrapers toward the heavens. This ancient city was founded during the Three Kingdoms period (220- 280 AD) and I imagine that until fairly recently there were not many changes in the intervening nearly two millennia.
People's clothing is very different as well.
Gone are the Maoist uniforms of 1988. In are the works of every innovative Chinese and foreign high fashion designer. It seems like every week there is another designer's fashion show in Beijing, in addition to two world-class fashion weeks each year.
There are also several things, however, that surprisingly have not changed. Beijing, and China's many cities and towns were and continue to be very safe. And China's people continue to be as polite and welcoming as they were in 1988. Economic and social progress has thankfully not jaded most of them.
The contrast between 1988 and 2009 is mind-blowing. I am happy to have seen the country change at the speed of life. I look forward to more changes in the years to come.
Happy 60th birthday, PRC!
The author is former director and vice president at ABC Television. He spends most of his time in Beijing now working on media projects
