New China
Initial Impressions of a Layman
by
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They did not appear to have rigid classes in the Han, except farmers and migrant workers Minority groups, however, were definitely another matter. If you were in high position in the Communist party, you had power and if you were rich, you could buy influence with party leaders, which gave you indirect power. The ordinary Han people had no power but were usually left alone if they avoided public opposition to the party. The major Chinese group in China was the Han who consider themselves superior to the 50+ other racial minorities. There also did not appear to be a concerted effort to integrate minorities into society like in America. There seemed to be an unspoken “agreement” between the government and the people that “if you behave yourself and doesn’t cause public disagreement then we will leave you alone”. In spite of that, there was a lot of private expression of ill feelings towards Communist bureaucrats. Social interaction took on a completely new dimension with the rise of the internet and cell phone throughout Chinese society. People talked to each other every day and often several times a day. This was especially true for the young but it was also common for people in their 40s and 50s. Older people seemed to use the cell phone but less frequently than younger people did. I also suspected that women and girls used both media more than men did. These communication channels would make it practically impossible to effectively censor facts since there were so many alternative paths for information to flow to the people. It also meant that people got the information more rapidly than through traditional channels such as TV, newspapers and radio. Friendships are a strong bond in China. Friends are considered like family with exceptional strong support and consideration like with their families that was not generally found in America. Gifts were normally given when visiting and on occasions such as the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival). During the Chinese New Year, little red envelopes were given with money inside. Business typically gave red envelopes with bonus money at the beginning of the New Years break, also. Guests and teachers were also treated with much consideration and respect. It was not unusual for a student or a parent to give their seat on a bus that was not normal for strangers. The “Cultural Revolution” did not appear to have any permanent affect on peoples inherent respect for teachers. American style weddings were very popular with the young people who had rich parents without the Christian aspect. Since Christianity was not visible, it was difficult to tell when it was a part of the ceremony. They did, however, wear wedding gowns and tuxedos just like in America. In addition, the cost in China was a lot less than in America.
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About the Book
The book is a factual exposition of the author’s experiences in China for about one and a half years, beginning in 2005. The words are augmented by color photographs, which sometimes communicate better than words. The book’s facts and opinions are about the southern part of China, especially the Chongqing Province. The author did, however, visit Guangzhou, Zhenzhen, Hongkong, and Hainan Island. Besides facts, however, the author did talk to many people about their feelings and their life, dreams, and hopes. Oftentimes, this was colored by their unsolicited criticism of the Communist Party. The author also points out some of the developing concerns about pollution, corruption, and especially, their feelings of helplessness to address any issues. On the surface, the people appeared placid, but they had strong underlying opinions, which had to be held back to avoid conflict with authorities. They were well aware that the Communists would deal harshly with public criticism. The author will expand on the underlying consequences of New China in a following book. This book deals mainly with obvious details of Chinese society in New China.
About the Author
Many people have visited China but few went there to get married in the twenty-first century and had close contact with the Chinese by working and living there. The author took many notes and photos to record experiences, personal conversations, and observations to provide an unvarnished view of modern Chinese society. The huge material advancement of China was obvious, but the subtle influence of the Chinese Communist Party was everywhere, but not realized by tourists—or me at first—or casual observers. The National TV station (CCTV) was often blatant in their propaganda, but everyday life was benign, and the ordinary Chinese lived without obvious interference. The author was not aware of the inconsistency until many Chinese pointed it out. The author’s only credentials were being a keen observer, listening carefully to the Chinese people, and having a strong desire to look for underlying, unbiased facts. His new stepdaughter was one of the first individuals to jolt me out of just admiring the material advancement of China and thinking about people’s opinions.