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SUEPost by: Mar 11, 2009 00:06
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City Impression - Beijing "Kingdom City"
Beijing is the most polular city to visitors in China. It is a good place to go, because you have so many things to discover, about the history, culture, architecture, nationality, art, political, and so on. But as a Chinese, my opinion is "Life in Beijing is not easy." Beijing is the center of a kingdom for more than 500 years, it remains a lot for "King". Such as the citizen - I will call them Beijinger in this article.
Beijnger
Beijinger is considered as with good manners because they always use "Nin" instead of "Ni" ("Ni" means "You", "Nin" means "you" too, but Nin is used to elder or other persons you could like to show your respect), and they are always use "Thank you" "Please" "Excuse me" "Welcome". So, the communication always comfortable. But, the problem is, when you are closer than strangers but further than friends, you will feel like seems Beijinger kind to you as friend in words but a stranger in behavior.
And Beijing is a squareness city, and rainless season is very long, you could find east and west very easy,so when the first time I went to Beijing, Beijinger told me "To Tiananmen, you could go out, turn east, walk two blocks, turn north", Oh, my goodness! Where is east, where is north? After several times to Beijing, I learned how to find out the direction, well, every street is from north to south or from east to west, it is easy to me now!
We usually say Hutong insead of street in Beijing. This Hutong have its own history, it is also for the King. Its original meaning is "Water Wells", from Mongol Language, and appreard during Yuan Dynasty. In 1276,Yuan Dynasty decide to locate its capical in Beijing, at that time, the house level (large house or small house) is up to your Official Rank, which means if you have higher official rank, you could enjoy larger house with courtyard and closer to the King's Palace. So houses with courtyard were built one by one. And because the needs of lighting, ventilation and access, the Hutong was for these needs. and these Hutong look like Chinese character "δΊ•"(Pronouciation JING, means water wells). It is the Beginning.
With time passing, Ming & Qing Dynasties enlarged Beijing a lot, but they keep the Hutong on, because the city is larger and larger, more and more common people stay in Beijing, and Hutongs become more and more, until now. As you could see, Official people's houses and common people's houses are not far, because after 1949, there is no Emperor any more, official people's houses are divided into several parts to common people. After more than 50 years, become the shape right now.
Hutong remind Beijingers' stories, lots of stories and memories, about the kindom passed, about rich people and poor people, about official people and common people. The people who live in Hutong are close to each other, but because of too close to each other, they have no personal space, no personal secrets, they try to protect their not much left secrets and space, for this, they should "fight to others around". And this is the Beginning of Beijingers' manners. Interesting, right?
Beijingers are always close to the political power in more than 500 years, so they are not so interested in wearing, not so interested in food, they pay more attantion to political topic than any other cities in China. When you talked to a taxi driver, they will always tell you how not easy their life is, how about the policy now, how about the goverment now. They care about these and prefer to share. And common people could not earn much, lots of very rich people in Beijing, lots of high official rank people in Beijing, they could not reach this place, the topic about these is the only fun the common people have, or we should say the specialty.
Weather
Beijing's weather is not good to me, from south of China, it is too dry to live.
Food
Beijing have lots of restaurants and local Dim Sum, but frankly speaking, they prefer spices to the original flavor of the foods. So, Beijing food is nice, but not too much, because too much oil and sugars in them, too much spices, you could not enjoy the food itself.
Streets
Not so clean, I think it is because of too much suspended materials. And guidepost is not so clear compare to Shanghai. Still, as I said above, all streets are from north to south or east to west, follow the map, it is not so hard to find your destination.
Service
Well, the best service in China is in south of Yangtze River. Beijing, please do not talk about good service. It do not mean their management do not care, just because the waiters and waitress do not pay enough attention to guests. One more thing, taxi management is worse than Shanghai.
That is what Beijing is in my mind.
Beijnger
Beijinger is considered as with good manners because they always use "Nin" instead of "Ni" ("Ni" means "You", "Nin" means "you" too, but Nin is used to elder or other persons you could like to show your respect), and they are always use "Thank you" "Please" "Excuse me" "Welcome". So, the communication always comfortable. But, the problem is, when you are closer than strangers but further than friends, you will feel like seems Beijinger kind to you as friend in words but a stranger in behavior.
And Beijing is a squareness city, and rainless season is very long, you could find east and west very easy,so when the first time I went to Beijing, Beijinger told me "To Tiananmen, you could go out, turn east, walk two blocks, turn north", Oh, my goodness! Where is east, where is north? After several times to Beijing, I learned how to find out the direction, well, every street is from north to south or from east to west, it is easy to me now!
We usually say Hutong insead of street in Beijing. This Hutong have its own history, it is also for the King. Its original meaning is "Water Wells", from Mongol Language, and appreard during Yuan Dynasty. In 1276,Yuan Dynasty decide to locate its capical in Beijing, at that time, the house level (large house or small house) is up to your Official Rank, which means if you have higher official rank, you could enjoy larger house with courtyard and closer to the King's Palace. So houses with courtyard were built one by one. And because the needs of lighting, ventilation and access, the Hutong was for these needs. and these Hutong look like Chinese character "δΊ•"(Pronouciation JING, means water wells). It is the Beginning.
With time passing, Ming & Qing Dynasties enlarged Beijing a lot, but they keep the Hutong on, because the city is larger and larger, more and more common people stay in Beijing, and Hutongs become more and more, until now. As you could see, Official people's houses and common people's houses are not far, because after 1949, there is no Emperor any more, official people's houses are divided into several parts to common people. After more than 50 years, become the shape right now.
Hutong remind Beijingers' stories, lots of stories and memories, about the kindom passed, about rich people and poor people, about official people and common people. The people who live in Hutong are close to each other, but because of too close to each other, they have no personal space, no personal secrets, they try to protect their not much left secrets and space, for this, they should "fight to others around". And this is the Beginning of Beijingers' manners. Interesting, right?
Beijingers are always close to the political power in more than 500 years, so they are not so interested in wearing, not so interested in food, they pay more attantion to political topic than any other cities in China. When you talked to a taxi driver, they will always tell you how not easy their life is, how about the policy now, how about the goverment now. They care about these and prefer to share. And common people could not earn much, lots of very rich people in Beijing, lots of high official rank people in Beijing, they could not reach this place, the topic about these is the only fun the common people have, or we should say the specialty.
Weather
Beijing's weather is not good to me, from south of China, it is too dry to live.
Food
Beijing have lots of restaurants and local Dim Sum, but frankly speaking, they prefer spices to the original flavor of the foods. So, Beijing food is nice, but not too much, because too much oil and sugars in them, too much spices, you could not enjoy the food itself.
Streets
Not so clean, I think it is because of too much suspended materials. And guidepost is not so clear compare to Shanghai. Still, as I said above, all streets are from north to south or east to west, follow the map, it is not so hard to find your destination.
Service
Well, the best service in China is in south of Yangtze River. Beijing, please do not talk about good service. It do not mean their management do not care, just because the waiters and waitress do not pay enough attention to guests. One more thing, taxi management is worse than Shanghai.
That is what Beijing is in my mind.
