The Big C
Sarah Says:
If only the word Propaganda began with the letter “C”. Instead we will have to make due with confusing, colliding and competing communist capitalism, censorship and conspiracy, coercion by the former champion chairman and comrades of China. This is The Big C.
I referred to China as ‘the big C’ before our arrival because I was, frankly, a little apprehensive. I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach much like I did upon our arrival into India, the feeling of, ‘whether I like it or not, I’m here now….’. But now as look out the window of my Trans-Mongolian railway compartment as we leave rural China behind, I still can’t get over how un-scary China was. In fact, it was possibly one of the easiest countries we’ve traveled in.
Not only was China easy, it was warm and welcoming and has in place one of the smoothest and most efficient tourist infrastructures I’ve seen. Apparently the rest of America had received this information already as I think half the American population was holidaying here. The rest of the world owes a big apology to Americans for giving them a hard time about never leaving America. Oh, they do! Just only to China by the looks of it as we saw more Americans here than we’ve seen anywhere else in the world. Old ones, young ones, bus loads of them being guided around by chipper and enthusiastic young Chinese tour guides carrying a ‘follow this flag’ flag, making China the new Europe. And everyone, including David and I, was having a great time. Which begs the question, in light of historical as well as very current events, is it politically incorrect to love China?
I felt conflicted throughout our time in China. I believe the tourist industry has received some wonderful guidance from somewhere or someone for they know exactly what western visitors need and want and they deliver with sincere excitement. The hostels are splendid dens of western comfort and security housed in some of the most traditional and spectacular Chinese buildings. One doesn’t have to work too hard to find English menus, the toilets aren’t too challenging, transportation is fine and they don’t blare the Chinese pop karaoke on the buses nearly as loud as the Thais do.
And a circuit of China is truly a star-studded sight-seeing affair. I can now exclaim the glories of The Terracota Warriors, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Yangtze river, China’s many stunning gorges, mountains, ancient walled cities, simple and elegant courtyard houses and twinkling lanterns. In the end, who can blame tourists for going home wearing “I heart China” t-shirts? But, I can’t help but feel that we have all been duped, we have fallen under the spell just as the Chinese citizens have.
You see, the heartbreaking stories are hidden farther beneath the surface here than they are in other countries we’ve visited. It takes a bit of work on the part of the tourist to keep in mind the things we’ve read. It would be so much easier for us if the Chinese walked around with thought bubbles over their heads, “I am an 8 year old girl and I take care of my entire family and don’t go to school because my life isn’t as valuable as my brother’s”, “I am a writer and my work is banned”, “I was arrested for speaking my mind”, “I had the land my family has toiled for decades taken away from me and was left with nothing”. I’m not making this up for drama, these things and worse are happening right now, today. But if you believe every Chinese citizen we saw interviewed for any news story, the entire country thinks and is actually proclaiming, “The future is bright!! The government is great!!”
David and I had righteously declared a personal boycott of China out of human rights principles and were slightly dismayed that our Trans-Mongolian dream had to start in China, forcing us to go. And now that I have been and left, I will resume my critiques right where I left off. However, while I was there, within the great walls and away from free speech and most outside news of any kind, I found myself lamenting we didn’t have more time. We devoured our Lonely Planet’s advice and went on a sight-seeing, Chinese food eating spree and were quite happy to be doing so. I don’t know entirely know what to say or how to justify what might look like hypocrisy except to say that it would probably happen to you too and you, also, would come home with the t-shirt.
July 1st, 2008 at 11:40 pm
This was great, Sarah. Did they have t-shirts that said “Mom and Dad went to China and all I got was this lousy t-shirt”???
July 6th, 2008 at 12:10 am
I miss the days when everyone in the States BELIEVED in the greatness of it.
Attitude is everything and if that is as true as I believe it is, in the US our cynicism/sarcasm has wreaked havoc on the culture at large. Bart Simpson has surely won a few laughs but has defeated our collective chutzpah for what’s good.
I’d like to learn from your observations about the Chinese people. It might take a long time for a new and better situation to come about [they put their heads down for how many years before Communism just ‘went away’?] but it won’t come about at all if collectively our attitudes stay in the toilet. Your thoughts = a superb meditation on how to affect change in our own worlds in ways that create good - instantly.
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