Joel McCall
Partner Reflection
March 1st, 2011
It is
stunning to see the lifestyle juxtaposition between traditional and modern
China. After being immersed in China for just over a week I have already
noticed the remarkable contrast in setting within Beijing and Yangshou. Although both cities display a blend of
traditional and modern Chinese culture, the much larger city of Beijing seems
to be straying from their traditional roots.
Beijing offered characteristics
that are unique to China, however, I failed to experience the ‘culture shock’ I
was expecting when our module landed in the airport some odd days ago. This
came as a pleasant surprise because it allowed for an ease of transition into a
foreign country. While the large office buildings, sounds of morning traffic,
and the smell of fast food provided reflective connections of home this did not
undermine other aspects of Beijing that illustrated more traditional Chinese
culture. The most apparent juxtaposition
took place not too far from our hotel, the Forbidden City, a monumental piece
of Chinese history which seemed out of placed compared to its
surroundings. It was fascinating to see
the rapid change in scenery in such a short distance and in some ways it is
nice to know that despite the modernization and development of this major city,
they still retain cultural habits that characterize ‘traditional’ China.
The interaction with the locals
in Beijing varied depending on where we were situated. In the local
marketplace, “the silk market”, module members were constantly called at by the
locals drawing them into their stores as they strolled down the aisles. This
invasion of personal space brought immediate discomfort to individuals who were
not familiar to this style of marketing. Along with the spatial differences there
was this new experience of bartering, which is almost a game between the
purchaser and seller. It took a few attempts before the fear of negotiation
subsided and we were able to fully engage in the act of bartering. In contrast,
down the street there was a more westernized mall where the occupants of the
stores were less inclined to negotiate prices, which suggests a more ‘modern’
China. The contrast between modern and traditional China
is so prominent because of the clear representations significant weighting
towards one side of this spectrum or the other. After visiting Beijing and Yangshou it appears
that the culture and society has only modernized in some areas which are
seemingly most beneficial for China.
This modern nature is most clear in areas which take advantage globally
in both business and tourism. The
culture and family aspects however seem to be as traditional as can be, working
for one’s family, and doing so in a way that has been done so for years. The community of Yangshou displayed a lot of
cooperation between their people in order to create a functioning city. Local vegetables and animals were the primary
source for the city’s goods, and without that, the tradition within would be
lost. The technology in this city was
lacking, yet the people carried on with their families in a way that allows
them to get what needs to be achieved.
In saying this however, modernization was creeping into this city as
local clubs and fast food chains were being implanted within the city’s heart
in order to exploit this tourist hotspot.
Although China continues to grow and develop to keep up with technology,
medicine, and so forth, it is clear that they still hold dear to their
heritage. Chinese traditions are strong,
and are not as easily corroded by the surroundings within their society.
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