DALIAN -- THE NORTHERN PEARL OF CHINA
---- an inside look from an outsider
by XU Xiangwu (Andy)
I first visited Dalian in 1972 when I was a second year student who came to
practice English in Dalian Harbor and International Sailors' Club. Only
two things then left me a deep impression. The unique design of the
Railway Station which you can drive or walk to the second floor through an
outside walkway just like that with Terminal 3 of Toronto Pearson
International Airport; and the frequent use of dirty pet phrases (koutou
yu) by all the local people, whether they were pretty young girls or well
educated intellectuals.
Twenty-eight years later, I am here again. The uniquely designed railway
station is still gnarled here, but I feel sorry for it as it is surrounded
by all kinds of skyscrapers and all colors of neon lights, thus becomes the
shabbiest building in the city, waiting to be demolished; and the pet phases
are still here with the folks except that they are not as frequently used as
before. But what makes me name Dalian as the northern pearl of China is
some other things.
Everyone agrees if he or she visits Dalian that it is very beautiful, with
beaches all around, mountains and tunnels here and there, and green grass
squares all over the city. You know I have found a difference between the
municipal management of Dalian and Changchun. Those who attended Jilin
University earlier would have still remembered that there were five in-road
squares along the Stalin Avenue from the railway station southward to the
Gong-Nong Square. But they got rid of them all except the People's Square
-- making the Peoples Avenue now barren and grayer with all concrete. On
the other hand, Dalian is adding new squares to their streets and spaces one
after another -- making it greener day by day. And this was, unfortunately,
criticized by some folks this summer saying 'we are suffering from shortage
of water and they (the government) are still making more and more squares
which need watering every few days'. I hope these sharp tongued guys are
not serious.
Because of the seas, the mountains, and the growing number of squares, the
air quality is among the best in this country, equal to that of the coastal
cities as Qingdao, and close to that of Shenzheng, Xiamen, Zuhai. I can see
clear and blue skies very often. But when I was in Beijing during the
National Day break, I could see only the smuggy air. There are also two
other human factors contributing to the clean are -- all Dalian citizens
have a high sense of sanitation; and janitors working on the streets all the
year round with little pay are very very responsible.
The week long National Day break was too long for any one to sit idle at
home. I made a trip to Beijing. After landing in Beijing when I was
walking through the new airport, I was thinking to myself, this is just as
good as Vancouver airport. A sense of pride being Chinese must have shown
on my face then. Seven days later, I was taking a return air to Dalian.
But it took me a lot of time to find the proper waiting room and check-in
gate. Yes, all the waiting rooms and gates are well marked. But the
administrations just took (I hope it is not a present tense TAKE) liberty to
change them very often, not only the one to Dalian, it seemed all were
changing. The passengers, both Chinese and foreign, were running here and
there like headless chickens. Now the Chinese people do not take special
care of the foreigners, who squeezed together with us to the hard found
check-in gates. When I got on board my plane and sat down on my seat, I was
thinking again. Considering the number of gold medals the Chinese athletes
got in Sydney and the enthusiasm the Chinese people have shown, we are ready
to host Olympic Games now. But compared with the modern cities such as
Sydney, Toronto, Tokyo, and reflected on the confusion at the Beijing
airport, we are still 20 years away from it.
Public transportation and city traffic in Dalian is completely different
from Beijing. There is hardly any traffic jam here. 80% of the buses are
very new, and 95% buses are pay-yourself-as-you-get-on-board, front door
get-on and back door drop-off. Double decker buses replaced the extended
three door long buses which are still sprawling in Beijing, Changchun, and
many other cities. Not like those in Shanghai, Beijing, Changchun, etc. the
taxi drivers are not separated themselves from passengers by wires or
plastic boards, which terrify the passengers, not the drivers. The taxi
drivers here are talking with you friendly. I have not encountered anyone who
takes you long way because you are a stranger to the city.
The housing prices here are very high, next only to Shenzheng, Shanghai, and
Beijing, as some people say. The average price is 5000 yuan per square
meter; for some better ones it is more than 6000 yuan, as those purchased
(and probably donated by the bosses to) by the singing artists as Song
Zuying, Liu Huan, and table tennis player Kong Linghui et al. While in
Changchun, it is averaged at 3000 yuan. The price, they say, reflects the
value of the land and the quality of life of the people there.
Dalian people, compared with those in other parts of the country, are more
honest and obedient, or laoshi as in Chinese. I guess this is one of the
reasons that Bo Xilai (former mayor and present Party secretary) could have
accomplished so much in 8 years here. Girls are pretty and tall who are
daring to wear anything and daring to expose themselves (not really, excuse
me for this remark). Are men handsome here? I didn't pay much attention to
them because I am a man myself.
Well, well, there are always two sides of a coin. This pearl would be much
brilliant if ...
their high education can be as developed as it is in Changchun;
some of you can come and join me (just kidding, don't be serious about
this);
men do not walk around with their upper bodies naked because most of them
have disproportionate big beer bellies;
pet phrases (swearing ones) are completely got rid, at least of the mouths
of those pretty women.