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 Yingting's
China --- Aug. 1, Tuesday, Sunshine
The
diary
Housing
After a one-hour ride in a crowded bus,
I feel a sense of relief when I see the gate of my small nest.
I see the bulletin board. A piece of
paper with a nice, flowing calligraphy style catches my attention.
It says:
" Two-year-old apartment with two
bedrooms, one dining room, one kitchen, and one bathroom for
sale. Anybody who is interested in it, please contact with us,
tel.********."
What a cute way to sell their apartment!
10 years ago, no one would have dreamed of selling an apartment
that way.
In my parents' generation, the government¡¡In
my parents' generation, the government¡¡arranged everything for
them. After they graduated from college, they were appointed to
a certain place to work. Seldom did they change their job. After
2years working at the university, for example, my father got a three-room
apartment, also from his university. Almost everybody has a similar
experience -- applying for apartments at their place of work.
Chinese people have lots of meetings,
but the only meeting that really catches everybody's attention is
the annual meeting to give out new apartments. One of my parents'
good friends even quit a promising position at a prestigious university
to go work at a middle-school, for the sole reason that the school
gave him an apartment with two bedrooms.
In many marriages, whether or not the
groom has an apartment can be the most crucial issue. If you are
wondering why, try to imagine three generations living together
in one room. Usually near the corner, behind a curtain, is the study
for their school-aged child.
These days, all this is beginning to
change very quickly, and if you come to Shanghai, you can see the
difference for yourself.
Now you can buy or rent a house. You
can ask for the loan from the bank and pay in installments. This
policy gives us, especially the young people, more chances to get
our own apartments.
While many in the West complain about
their "cement forests," most in China are expecting and
hoping for more high-rise apartments, to improve their living condition.
But this feeling is not unanimous. There
are also many who are seeking to protect and restore old buildings,
rather than tear them down for apartment complexes. They believe
our architecture is "mute music,¡± and I agree. We can enjoy
the beauty and touch the feeling of its creators, but the buildings
never utter a sound.
Please follow me to the next page to
see part of the "mute music" in Shanghai.
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