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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,682 posts, read 54,870,551 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scrantiX
Its not even popular in most of China and there's no reason for it. Shanghai >>>>>>>> Beijing. Period.
LA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the rest.
And you know this how?
Many Chinese see Beijing as the cultural capital, with a lot of history.etc. They see Shanghai as a commercially-dominated city that grew because of Western influence/trade. Beijing gets the prestige and respect, Shanghai is just like any other big city.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,682 posts, read 54,870,551 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by scrantiX
Because I am Chinese and my aunt lives in Beijing.
I have been going to Beijing all my life and was there as recent as 2011 and what folks say about its pollution is 100% true.
No need to tell me I went in Beijing. But it ain't like Shanghai isn't. Pollution doesn't make it a bad city, or detract from it's many strengths. Shanghai might be better for urban life, but Beijing is catching up, and Beijing wins for history. Hangzhou and Suzhou are really pretty though. Point is, many Chinese definitely have a deep respect for Beijing. Where in China are you from?
Point is, many Chinese definitely have a deep respect for Beijing.
I never said they didn't but it gets more respect in North China, down south there are many folks that dislike it in Shanghai, Dongguan, Shenzhen, Nanjing, etc.
Quote:
Where in China are you from?
I was born in NY and moved to San Diego when I was 13 with my folks. My folks are from Nanjing and Shanghai. I am 34 yrs now and married, my wife is half Japanese and half Argentinean and we go to China once a year.
Beijing is more spread out and more polluted than Shanghai, there is Shanghai pollution and then there is Beijing pollution ----> Beijing is on another higher level.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,682 posts, read 54,870,551 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by scrantiX
I never said they didn't but it gets more respect in North China, down south there are many folks that dislike it in Shanghai, Dongguan, Shenzhen, Nanjing, etc.
I was born in NY and moved to San Diego when I was 13 with my folks. My folks are from Nanjing and Shanghai. I am 34 yrs now and married, my wife is half Japanese and half Argentinean and we go to China once a year.
Beijing is more spread out and more polluted than Shanghai, there is Shanghai pollution and then there is Beijing pollution ----> Beijing is on another higher level.
You said it wasn't popular in China which I thought was a peculiar statement, since it is the no. 1 or 2 city, attracts many students, people looking for both employment and the big city life. Yes the North China Plain is polluted as hell. Another really bad city I went to was Chongqing.
You said it wasn't popular in China which I thought was a peculiar statement, since it is the no. 1 or 2 city, attracts many students, people looking for both employment and the big city life. Yes the North China Plain is polluted as hell. Another really bad city I went to was Chongqing.
Why were you in Chongqing?
Beijing is a city that is either loved or despised in China, the love for Beijing is in North China and the new generation of Chinese that can see past our divided differences and accept it for what it is. Granted I have never lived in China but my folks are from there, they have told me a lot about it and I have been going there to see my grandma in Nanjing since I was little. Every time we went to Nanjing we would also go to Shanghai and all the cities near it. On the central China coast Beijing is viewed negatively and is disliked by many, even folks that have never been. South China, near Dongguan, Shenzhen, etc its despised less than the Shanghai and Nanjing areas because they are so far away but folks down there from my experience view Shanghai more favorably and Beijing more negatively.
I don't know about the cities in interior China, I have not spent as much time there, all experiences are limited but they have more favorable opinions for Beijing than the central and southern coastal regions of China.
On that token, Shanghai is also despised in North China which does not come as a surprise IMO.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,682 posts, read 54,870,551 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scrantiX
Why were you in Chongqing?
Beijing is a city that is either loved or despised in China, the love for Beijing is in North China and the new generation of Chinese that can see past our divided differences and accept it for what it is. Granted I have never lived in China but my folks are from there, they have told me a lot about it and I have been going there to see my grandma in Nanjing since I was little. Every time we went to Nanjing we would also go to Shanghai and all the cities near it. On the central China coast Beijing is viewed negatively and is disliked by many, even folks that have never been. South China, near Dongguan, Shenzhen, etc its despised less than the Shanghai and Nanjing areas because they are so far away but folks down there from my experience view Shanghai more favorably and Beijing more negatively.
I don't know about the cities in interior China, I have not spent as much time there, all experiences are limited but they have more favorable opinions for Beijing than the central and southern coastal regions of China.
On that token, Shanghai is also despised in North China which does not come as a surprise IMO.
Mainly because we had a good friend there, and also to take the boat trip down the Yangtze past the Three Gorges. This was in 2006 before the final phase of the dam changed it forever. It was so smoggy that we were advised not to stay outdoors more than an hour. Most people wore masks. It was a really weird place, very lush and jungle-like, but also full of those 'dark satanic mills' spewing out smoke.
Is a lot of the hatred based on jealousy? Because of Mandarin being the official language? I can't think of many reasons to hate Beijing. Maybe it's the people there, an air of arrogance. How big is the Shanghai vs Beijing rivalry? Shanghai is kinda like LA and NY in one, while Beijing is more like Boston, DC.etc, but with more grit.
The Pearl River Delta is one of China's economic engines but it seems dull as dishwater, aside from Hong Kong.
Mainly because we had a good friend there, and also to take the boat trip down the Yangtze past the Three Gorges. This was in 2006 before the final phase of the dam changed it forever. It was so smoggy that we were advised not to stay outdoors more than an hour. Most people wore masks. It was a really weird place, very lush and jungle-like, but also full of those 'dark satanic mills' spewing out smoke.
Is a lot of the hatred based on jealousy? Because of Mandarin being the official language? I can't think of many reasons to hate Beijing. Maybe it's the people there, an air of arrogance. How big is the Shanghai vs Beijing rivalry? Shanghai is kinda like LA and NY in one, while Beijing is more like Boston, DC.etc, but with more grit.
The Pearl River Delta is one of China's economic engines but it seems dull as dishwater, aside from Hong Kong.
That's odd because I like both Guangzhou and Dongguan more than Hong Kong and I think Foshan is also nice.
There's no reason to be jealous of Beijing, it attracts folks that like something different than the folks Shanghai attracts. Folks in Shanghai are more outgoing and have a certain vibe to them that's more appealing to me, after living in California for most of my life, Shanghai is much easier to appreciate. Shanghai and Beijing's rivalry is fierce, IMO most upbeat city rivalry in Asia and IMO more intense than NYC and LA---> which is more a one way street.
Chongqing is not a good city from what they have told me, the river turns red every couple of months and it's one of the most polluted cities in China.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,682 posts, read 54,870,551 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by scrantiX
That's odd because I like both Guangzhou and Dongguan more than Hong Kong and I think Foshan is also nice.
There's no reason to be jealous of Beijing, it attracts folks that like something different than the folks Shanghai attracts. Folks in Shanghai are more outgoing and have a certain vibe to them that's more appealing to me, after living in California for most of my life, Shanghai is much easier to appreciate. Shanghai and Beijing's rivalry is fierce, IMO most upbeat city rivalry in Asia and IMO more intense than NYC and LA---> which is more a one way street.
Chongqing is not a good city from what they have told me, the river turns red every couple of months and it's one of the most polluted cities in China.
What do you like about Dongguan? Maybe Guangzhou is a hidden gem, it must be more historical than HK.
Yes, they're eminently comparable. Beijing is the capital and has the history/culture/educated elite, while Shanghai is the economic engine, the gateway to the world and has the economic big hitters. It's a simplification, of course, Beijing has plenty of money and Shanghai has plenty of bureaucrats too. I actually am curious to visit Shanghai (haven't been yet), as well as the surrounding region. The people in both cities are probably the least appealing in China. Have you been to Taiwan? I find people there friendlier, though I don't speak Mandarin, although I've met many friendly people from China.
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