Trip to China
I went back to visit friends and family members in Shenyang, Dalian, Changchun,
and my hometown of Jingyu County in Jilin Province for four weeks. I would rate
65% exciting and 35% depressing of my impressions of things in China.
First of all, in terms of cityscapes, all three cities and one countytown are
much better than they were three years ago: Shenyang is bustling with life of a
metropolitan city, showing its prosperities in merchadise and goods; and the air
is rated as most improved in China last year even though to us it is still a
heavily polluted one; Dalian is the most beautiful and cleanest of the three
cities, with its skyscrapers, neon-lit streets, peaceful and spacious beaches,
its attractions are undeniable to all people; Changchun has undergone much
changes as well, with Stalin Avenue renamed as People Avenue, skyscraping hotels
lined up along both sides of it, Nobody would take it as the quiet city we used
to study in years ago.
Many people, at least those I got in touch with, are much richer than before.
For instance, some people say that there are more than 50 millionnairs in Jilin
University alone, most of whom being in Law School, and some in Foreign
Languages College. More than 10 teachers are driving their own cars to teach at
the University. Another instance, one of my sisters is in Jingyu County, and
the apartment (which was allocated to her by the County Government and she
bought out the ownership) she has is better than any one I have seen in Canada!
But there is still much room for improvement in things such as air pollution,
city traffic, and citizenship quality of general public. One more interesting
thing, I was arranged to stay in Changbaishan Hotel by one of my former students
of English for two nights in Changchun. Every day at midnight girls were calling
you for .... So one has to be careful about that even in big hotels as this.
When I was in Changchun, I visited Jilin University with Sun Tie and Yang Ling.
We originally planned just to see and say hello to those we know. But when we
met with Tian Li, Director of Alumni Work, and Luan Guojun, Director of Foreign
Affairs Office, they wouldn't let us go and persuaded us to have dinner with
some celebrities of the University. We really felt welcome home. So I
had to adjust my travel schedule to accommodate this dinner. The dinner was
hosted by President LIU Zhongshu, and in attendance were Vice President
(executive) ZHANG Fuliang, Ms. LUAN from Foreign Affairs Office, LI Jinyue of
Physics Department, TIAN Li and another personnel from Office of Alumni Work,
ZHAO Wenxue, vice dean of Foreign Languages College and other two personnel from
this college. President LIU expressed his thanks to us for hosting him and his
delegation while they were in Canada a year and half ago and he also highly
praised work we have done.
In addition to many inspiring news they have about the University, there is one
piece which I cannot hide from you --- The Merge of a new Jilin University.
Jilin University of Polytechnics, Bethune Medical University, Changchun
Institute of Geology, and Changchun Post and Telecommunication College will all
merge into JILIN UNIVERSITY. Many people suggest to move the head office
(administrations) to Changchun Institute of Geology, and others still insist to
have it in the new campus. They say it has been approved by The Ministry of
Education already. The Red Letter documents are due when the school year starts
after the Lantern Festival. After the merge, there will be more than 50,000
people in it, which is competitive with any universities abroad, in size at
least.
But nobody is sure what impact it will bring to the people's life at that
University.
Back in my daily routine here in Canada now, but some good memories still keep
coming to my mind. I hope more of you can go back and have a good look at the
work and life of the real Chinese people.
Thank you!
XU Xiangwu (Andy)