Zijiache: When Young Folks Take to the Road
This is, of course, a more harmonious version of taking to the roads… if you’re thinking of stuff decades ago, you’re — going to have to readjust your Time Machine.
“You’re young only once.” A friend told me that once when I was 14. 12 years later, I’m beginning to realize that just four short years later, I will join the ranks of the slightly-less-than-young, get married, have kids, and — head for that Great Big Halfway Mark (aka 50). But while I’m still full of energy (without the Red Bull, thank you very much), here’s what I do all weekend long: drive around.
Yes, just like other young folks in the capital. To many (young and old), the privilege of driving was a remote possibility only about a decade ago, when steering wheel operations were more a profession and less an everyone part of life. In recent years, however, the number of drivers has exploded — as the administrivia have been less and less restrictive and, indeed, more and more folks have the time and money to learn — indeed — just how to make Beijing less a capital and more a carpital.
Onwards then, carpitalists!
Head Count
If you’re with me in ground zero (for 2008 at least) — central Beijing — do a real test drive: check out how many folks are out on the move in a car. Only those who “look young” count; but even here, you’d be more than surprised.
Probably the best sign that those folks like being mobile come in those weekend trips to suburban Beijing. A Mac friend pulled me to Mangshan Park out in Changping in November 2007; thanks to 12 years of Switzerland, yours truly pulled off the trick of being the first in the pack (we were about 10 to 12 in number) when we were dealing with mountainous terrain. What really was interesting, though, was how we got there. Five cars carried the whole gang — Nissans, Toyotas, you name it.
Signs that young folks in front of the wheel are making a real impact in the capital are no clearer than those you see in the evening hours. Young guy at the wheel, gorgeous girl next to him. (Yours truly is in that rank right now.) A trip out to the freeways. Think about it…! Liberté! Égalité! Velocité!
The Rise of Zijiache
Zijiache (自驾车) — in essence drive-it-yourself trips — is more and more the rage these days. Guidebooks about the less explored parts of Beijing now come with instructions on how to get there — intended for those who aim to complete the trip with their own set of wheels. In fact, a whole series of books intended for zijiache people are on the making — out already are guides to National Highway 108 and 312 (in Chinese only for the time being).
Unfortunately, the instructions you see in those guidebooks are of such a quality that — indeed, brought about the birth of projects like Beijingology. Terse instructions such as “turn left at the second roundabout”, and mixed usage of highway names and numbers, mean that those remote village in the west remain that bit more remote.
Still, zijiache is something new — and something to stay. The party is best, of course, if you gang up with two or three cars — a lot more friends — and someone like yours truly, who knows the way.
When I was first-in-line last November, I knew exactly how to get to Mangshan park: Badaling Freeway — Exit 13C — National Highway 110 — Municipal Highway 212 — Municipal Highway 214 — there.
Which you can probably expect only from the Beijingologist…
The Gear
The cars most of us (or folks around our age) buy makes me look like an executive recluse. Possibly because due to excess exposure to bosses, professors and all-that-more-serious people when I was a kid, I finished up with an “executive-looking” Nissan Teana. My friends have, on more than one occasion, commented that I look that bit older in the car.
The most executive car I’ve seen is from a friend who drives a Toyota Camry. But then again, there’s the age (and marriage) gap (although age-wise, never too much). Most young folks I’ve seen are on “young-ish” looking cars; to them, even cars like the Volkswagen Passat looks a bit too exec-like.
There’s another group of people who terrorize the street in Jeeps. Those with more money go for Porsches, or to really outdo the crowd, in Hummers. These guys are not easy to deal with; Mac user group members are of the opinion that a crash with these guys almost always results in death or serious injury for the non-Hummer party.
At the end of the day, though, no matter what your set of wheels is, you take the weekend off — and enjoy Mother Nature. And suburban Beijing.
You know, those mountains are actually out there for a reason…
One Response to “Zijiache: When Young Folks Take to the Road”
Nice. This gives a new meaning to the term “capitalist roaders.” Here is a 2006 New York Times article about the new Capitalist Roaders by Ted Conover. My friend Lucy Li was his translator.