Hong Kong

Review: In HK, when you do not have a job, you can’t eat so to speak (手停口就停). Everyone is into investing. Artists need to work, and do not dare fall in love nor take a rest. Moonlighting is very common. Fast news or tabloids sell.

TV: A lot of housewives spend their time watching television. ATV (Asian Television Limited) and TVB (Television Broadcasts Limited) are favorite channels. But everyone is so busy that they only have time to listen to the radio. Because of this, this city has only up to 13 channels.

Fast foods: Hong Kong is the Chinese city with the widest variety of Western fast foods. McDonald’s advertises throughout the year.

Walking speed: The city is not called a dynamic city for nothing. At the turn of the green light, one can immediately hear the surge of motorists. And at every intersection, there is always a group of people waiting to charge.

Alcohol consumption: Besides Lan Kwai Fong, the tables in Hong Kong do not really have alcohol. It’s actually more of malt.

Hong Kong

Daily schedule: Work hours are from 9am to 5pm, but OT is a favorite mantra among the Hongkongese. There are 2.3M passengers using the subway daily from 6am to midnight. At this rate, the night club is also crowded.

What are the streets like during work time: Hong Kong ranks second in Asia as the most work-efficient city with little or no workers leisurely strolling the streets during work time. Majority of those who shop are actually mainland tourists. During this year’s Chinese New Year Festival, the mainland tourists alone brought RMB 270,000,000 income.

Job-hopping frequency: The civil servants do not quit their jobs. As for the private citizens, they change careers anytime due to the economic boom, job layoffs, and salary issues. Around 30% youngsters (aged 18 to 24) become entrepreneurs at those ages.

Fitness: They rarely exercise with more and more having eye and digestive system problems.

Telephone: When they do have time to chat, they talk more or less about work every time.

Love: The number of couples getting married is getting lower. The divorce rate is getting higher. The number of single parents have increased by 7% as compared to ten years ago. The trend is that the women wants to live in together with their partners. The guys want to get married. Go-Con is very popular. It’s a Japanese dating culture where men and women mingle in single parties.

Suzhou

Review: First in the country to attract foreign investors–through its number of human capital. It is also becoming the world’s factory shaking the positions of Dongguan and Shenzhen. Suzhou is also a tourist destination. It is because of the people working that the city is developing. Many of the workers are paid using piece-rate wages.

TV: People here watch a lot of TV. It’s like their emotional nourishment.

Fast foods: A lot. But there are more factory canteens.

Walking speed: Some people say that Suzhou is like a frame on wheels. There are two kinds of Suzhou: the industrial Suzhou and the classical Suzhou. The former is in a hurry, while the latter is graceful.

Alcohol consumption: Low. Shiquan Street‘s wine is no match for Suzhou’s (水天堂) tea.

Suzhou

Daily schedule: Conservative time-table. Model for proper rest and work time. Their policy is to have enough rest to go back to work.

What are the streets like during work time: Many people are concentrated on Guanqian Street and Renmin Road. They are mostly tourists from Hong Kong. The locals do not wish to be 168 (The laid-off workers in Suzhou are given renumeration wages of RMB 168, but it has since increased.).

Job-hopping frequency: Generally because Suzhou has an export-oriented economy, business is more or less good. No reason for workers to change jobs.

Fitness: There is still room for exercise. Some buy gym memberships, while others treat their manual labor as exercise already.

Telephone: Busy. They use the telephone for entertainment and as a way to interact with each other.

Love: The business of matchmaking is good here. The wedding photography industry is also developed. Marriage is busy. Either they get married and start a career or start a career and get married.

Shenzhen

Review: People are getting busier and busier. Quite a lot of people choose to open their own shop, company, or studio.

TV: Not a lot, because of the abundant night life. For those who still want to watch television, they have one channel that talks about business and investments, two channels if you want to learn Cantonese, and finally three channels for simply relaxation.

Fast foods: There seems to be a fast food “invasion”. There is even a fast food internet network in Shenzhen.

Walking speed: Before, it was fast. But now it is considered slow due to the crowded streets. People are impatient–cannot tolerate those walking slowly.

Alcohol consumption: High. Shenzhen is where the Northerners and Southerners converge. The Northerners can drink. The Southerners dare to drink.

Shenzhen

Daily schedule: Similar to Hong Kong. But the night life takes a lot of sleeping time. In fact, the people in this city lack sleep.

What are the streets like during work time: Populated, because work is everywhere.

Job-hopping frequency: High, because there are a lot of work opportunities.

Fitness: The use of a private car to go everywhere has increased. Concern for individual fitness has become sparse.

Telephone: Talking on the phone is a common sighting in the streets. It has become a necessary channel especially for work.

Taipei

Review: During the height of the economic boom, everyone is suddenly eager to look for work. The working class feels a lot of pressure. Travel is considered a form of escape.

TV: Many Taipei locals love watching television, maybe it is because there are a lot of entertainment gossip. They enjoy watching the antics of the indispensable variety show hosts Chang Hsiao-yen, Chang Fei, Hu Kua, and Jacky Wu.

Fast foods: Many but most are considered “slow” foods or the everyday type of meals. The ones sold in the night market are notable also.

Walking speed: Generally fast paced. An analysis of the people using the Taipei metro daily says that on average, 60 to 80 people walk past the ticket gate per minute.

Alcohol consumption: High.

Taipei

Daily schedule: Half of the population works from 9am to 5pm. The other half works from 5am to 9pm.

What are the streets like during work time: Taipei is always very populated.

Job-hopping frequency: High. Whenever there is a new book released on motivation and the workplace, there seems to be a spike on people looking for jobs.

Fitness: Not so much. Because work and play really stresses out the body.

Telephone: It’s stuck to their ears for 24 hours. Using the telephone equates to socializing.

Love: Falling in love is treated seriously, whereas marriage is treated lightly. It’s more of looking for romance and a new kind of feeling and experience.

Guangzhou

Review: Changes bring more jobs in Guangzhou. Property prices are so high, oftentimes you have to “tiptoe” to reach it (form of expression to mean really, really high). You feel free, no one cares about your personal affairs, each person’s life is very busy. When you don’t feel free, because you worry about going to work and the traffic jam, you think about being your own boss.

TV: Not so much, because many people have to work overtime. But Guangzhou is developed when it comes to print media. So there are lots of newspapers to read everyday.

Fast foods: Many. These basically cater to two extremes, the shantytown crowd and the white-collar workers.

Walking speed: Slow, because there is no good walking space. Most take the taxi or metro.

Alcohol consumption: Low

Guangzhou

Daily schedule: Conservative schedule, but fairly diversified. In fact, many sleep and wake up late.

What are the streets like during work time: Busy. Most of the idlers are SOHO (small office home office), students, or those who have no work and/or looking for work.

Job-hopping frequency: High. Because there are always new companies recruiting people. Jobs are oftentimes better-paying.

Fitness: Lessened. This is a city which has no time for exercise. But those exercising near the Pearl River are mostly the elderly.

Telephone: Used for working and making appointments.

Shanghai

Review: The catchphrase of this city is internationalism. Many go to Shanghai to work and “pan for gold”. Working is number 1, whereas spending is number 2. The people of this city are smart when it comes to making investments and buying luxury goods. But when it comes to buying property, their money seems to flow like water.

TV: Not so much, even the use of  internet and making phone calls. They read more newspapers and enjoy watching the world pass by.

Fast foods: A lot. The number of convenience stores is proportional to the growth of the city.

Walking speed: Fast. There are almost no idle people in the city. Mostly tourists and passersby.

Alcohol consumption: Low. The pursuit of this city is elegance rather than intoxication. Also, the hottest night spot is Xintiandi. The wine there is all foreign-flavored.

Shanghai

Schedule: They have a conservative time table. Work is considered important.

What are the streets like during work time: Populated. Except for Pudong, everywhere is a working area. The crowd in Nanjing Road would only disappear if there is torrential rain or a SARS epidemic.

Job-hopping frequency: High. The Shanghainese are always looking for something better.

Fitness: Not so much. Shanghai has never been an exercise-kind of city. Much worse than Dongbei.

Telephone: Used for work and making appointments with people. Most of the time, email is used.

Love: They consider a lot of factors when it comes to marriage like the person’s hukou and background. Expectations are high. For example, their concept of a good man is if the man goes to the market at 4am to buy food.

The term “middle class” is relative per country. Recently, ADB released a report (Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2010) early this year and mentioned that China’s middle class is numbered at 817 million. The report defined the middle class as those consuming between USD 2 to 20 a day. The middle class is also divided into 3 levels: first class, second class, and third class. Within China’s middle class, 303 million are at the lower level. Once they experience a crisis, it is easy to go back to poverty level.

The concept of “middle class” is pretty broad. If you have a monthly salary of RMB 6,000, that is considered as middle-class salary. Salary is just one of the key indicators. Another is how you compare to the standard of living in Shanghai. Besides Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, Shanghai is probably the closest to being “international” in standards; so it could be the most accurate “middle-class” benchmark. Otherwise, how come many expatriates identify with Shanghai?

Life as a slave–the “middle-class” dream

They are the middle class. House slaves. Car slaves.

Beijing University of Technology and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences published a paper that talks about the social strata construction of people living in Beijing. At least in Beijing, the middle class is composed of more than 40% of the population, numbering around 5.4 million. Their average monthly salary is RMB 5,923.18.

This statistic received various responses: how do you say one is middle class?

China does not really have a generally accepted definition of “middle class”. One could take the average monthly salary of RMB 6,000 as a starting point. But the people who made the report may have their own criteria. I think the starting point is too low.

How the middle class is being “strangled”

China’s so-called middle class is saddled with lots of pressure: house, car, credit card, kids…the establishment of an olive-shaped society seems far-fetched. As mentioned, from the figures above, once the 303 million experience a crisis, they can easily go back to poverty level.

Owning a house

In order to pay for your dream home, you pay off the mortgage around RMB 7,000 monthly from your salary. The rest will go to your basic expenses. Have you saved anything?

In the Fourth Ring Road in Beijing, average price per square meter is RMB 35,000 to 40,000. In order to own at least a 100-square-meter space, one would need at the very least RMB 40,000 to 80,000 annual revenue. And one needs to work nearly 45 years.

This means that if you started working at 20, by the time you turn 60, you still can not afford to buy a small 100-square-meter space.

Daily increase of fuel prices

You make a one-time purchase of a really cheap car, but then the price of fuel is very volatile, increasing almost daily. Even the price for parking is tagged at RMB 15 per hour. You go out and watch a movie at a discounted rate of RMB 40. However, the money you saved you pay for the parking–RMB 45.

Kids’ basic expenses is more expensive than the adults’

As we all know, there are safety concerns with regards to the local products; so we have no choice but to buy imported ones. And of course we have the best hopes for our children, so scrimping on their education is unheard of.

The middle class have their own vanity. Some really insist on buying imported products. So the money you earn locally is spent on the more expensive goods from abroad.

Here are stories of some middle-class Chinese: I earn an annual income of RMB 200,000, but I am not happy at all.

Case No. 1

Because I have a family of my own, I also have my own house and car–make that 2 cars even. Though my annual income is RMB 200,000, life is not happy at all.

Our monthly income is totaled at less than RMB 20,000. Maintaining 2 cars costs RMB 4,000. Food, at the minimum, costs RMB 3,000. And then there are a lot of bills: water, electricity, gas, cable TV, telephone, internet–all of that amounts to around RMB 1,000. The kid’s allowance is RMB 2,000. When I eat and have fun with my friends, that is RMB 1,000 off my pocket. Repair of miscellaneous items that can break down, etc. is pegged at RMB 500. Caring for the elderly at home (because both parents are busy with work) costs RMB 2,000. What’s more, the a-yi’s salary is RMB 2,000. Total expenses is RMB 15,500, with RMB 4,000 remaining. That RMB 4,000 is then set for any unexpected expenses. For example, if the furniture is too old already and can not be repaired anymore, we have to buy new ones. From time to time, there are relatives who needs help financially, so they would “borrow” money from me. What else is left?

Case No. 2

This man was promoted from junior account manager to senior account manager. His annual salary also increased from RMB 4-50,000 to RMB 300,000. Just looking at the salary, he is considered “middle class” already. But it has been 8 years since his promotion and he is still living in a rented apartment in Pudong whom he just considers as a “nest”. “I do not know if you could say I am middle class. This kind of middle class–is this success or failure?”

Case No. 4

Wang Yan went to the United States for her PhD after graduation and worked in a litigation firm in Washington. Her husband (also a graduate student) decided to go back to Beijing, so Wang Yan followed as well. From an “American” lawyer, Wang Yan became a “Chinese” lawyer. Good educational background, decent work, and decent income–Wang Yan accurately depicted China’s “middle class”. But she could not help but laugh, “Me? Middle class? Middle class should at least own some assets. I do not even have a house. What ‘middle class’ are you talking about?”

Wang Yan continues, “In the United States, everyone is so afraid of unemployment. As long as you have work, you have financial security. In China, it definitely is not ok if you do not have work. However, if you have work, you are afraid to go to work due to fierce competition and endless overtime.”

Such is the life of the Chinese middle class. Agree or disagree?

Disclaimer: The descriptions maybe on the sarcastic side; but I do hope you take them at face value, see the humor injected by the author of the article, and think about the social classifications and the circumstances surrounding them instead.

I. Extreme Poverty Level (Completely Impoverished; Destitute Level)

Individual monthly income is below RMB 1,000. Annual household income is below RMB 30,000.  They are mainly the unemployed and the beggars (lower-end). These groups of people are primarily local Shanghainese.

Their mode of transportation is the bicycle. On certain occasions they would take the public transport. Ever since, they have not set foot outside of Shanghai. Their pockets mostly contain loose change; and when they walk along the streets, their eyes would shift to the ground from time to time hoping to find more loose change. They do not buy new clothes. They do not have meat for their meals. They can be seen lining outside the supermarkets as early as before 8am to buy the cheapest vegetables. Their mode of entertainment is watching television and strolling in the parks.

They live in shanties or resettlement houses in the outskirts of town. Outsiders (non-Shanghainese) live in bridges, public squares, or wherever they can get a night’s sleep.

II. Working Class

Individual monthly income on the average is RMB 1,000 to 3,000. Annual household income on the average is RMB 30,000 to 50,000.

Generally, they are the sales persons, construction workers, waiters, corporate/government personnel among others. Financially-minded (?) beggars can be considered to be part of this class as well.

Shanghainese and non-Shanghainese have the same social status.

Main mode of transportation is the public bus and the metro. If they could take the bus, they would not take the metro. Their bags consist of 3 things: transportation card, umbrella, and lunch box. They record their daily expenses religiously. Their mobile phones can only receive calls and can not make outgoing calls. Girls enjoy shopping but can only afford to go to Qipu Lu (Qipu Road). They have 1 or 2 branded cosmetics and bags, which they must use when going out. When meeting people for the first time, the first thing they will ask is “How much money do you have with you right now?” When eating out, they never foot the bill. They like going to the bargain stalls with friends. The guys do not have girlfriends. When do they, it is temporary only. They have a pair of leather shoes but can have several rubber/training shoes. They never buy new clothes as well. Married Shanghainese are NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) and depend on their parents. Their main form of entertainment is watching television and surfing the Internet (same as the middle-aged and elderly).

They live in small neighborhoods with their family. Non-Shanghainese rent one-room apartments. They do not dare think of buying a house or a car of their own.

III. White-Collars

Individual monthly income ranges from RMB 3,000 to 10,000. Annual household income ranges from RMB 50,000 to 150,000.

They are mostly the civil servants and staff working in private corporations, technical/skilled personnel, middle managers of enterprises, self-employed, and starting businessmen.

They are the majority in the community and not to mention the ones feeling the most pressure from work and society.

They use private cars or the metro as their mode of transport and occasionally ride the taxi as a last resort. Non-married Shanghainese white-collars have a carefree lifestyle. But once they get married, they start feeling the pressure from their children’s education, the mortgage, etc. As such, most white-collars go DINK (Dual Income, No Kids). Since high school, they have “branded” dreams–dream of getting the newest car models, gadgets, etc. At the same time, they look down on their fellow white-collars, preferring to speak in the local Shanghainese dialect as opposed to Mandarin. Their life is free and easy, oftentimes full of contradictions; but in reality they are the most not confident among the “7 social classes”. They like karaoke, eating out (they are in the know where is the newest restaurant in the block), and sometimes the 小资‘s like travelling around the country.

The non-Shanghainese white-collars are decidedly the most miserable. Their greatest dream is to buy their own house. They have a girlfriend for many years and live in a really small apartment (20sqm). Those younger than 30 years old are idealistic fellows. But once they reach 30, reality finally sinks in. They enjoy surfing the Internet, watching television, strolling along the park, sometimes spend the weekends in hotels, and treat friends for a meal.

Shanghainese white-collars live with their parents. Non-Shanghainese white collars rent apartments. On cases, they buy their own houses and pay the mortgage the majority of their lives. Once they grew old, they live with their kids and use their retirement fund to pay for the house’s bills.

IV. Middle Class

The starting annual salary for individuals is RMB 150,000 to 400,000. Annual household income is RMB 200,000 to 500,000. They also have RMB 1,000,000 to 10,000,000 in assets.

These are the executives of private enterprises, civil servants with “hidden” or “gray” incomes, senior technical staff, owners of private enterprises, and people in the performing arts.

They have a private car most probably in the RMB 100,000 to 200,000 level. On rare occasions, they would take the metro. And when chatting with friends, they like to complain about the traffic jam. Most of them are married, but some regret it. Either they already have extra-marital affairs or are prepared to have extra-marital affairs. The single ones have girlfriends but keep changing them. The women wants boy-friends but are not interested in boyfriends. The elders close to them are not their parents. The women close to them (the guys) are not their wives. Their mobiles phones are either busy or can not be reached. They could be in a meeting, are driving, or flying (in planes). Eating out is a form of entertainment (client lunches, dinner parties, etc.). Singing is a form of courtship (?) (抱妞). Looking for women is “work”. Looking for a wife is a “family responsibility”. The women are not “Misses”, rather they are 女强人 (strong women). From being meat-eaters, they become vegetarians. From driving their own cars, they turn to jogging instead. The Shanghainese do not like using their dialect. Instead, they speak in English. The outsiders, on the other hand, do not speak Mandarin. Instead, they like to use the Shanghai dialect.

Majority of these middle-class are in the process of paying for their homes. A few have their own 2-room houses already.

V. Wealthy Class (Millionaires)

Individual annual income is stable from RMB 400,000 to 2,000,000. Annual household income is stable from RMB 500,000 to 2,000,000. They have assets worth RMB 50,000,000.

These are the business owners and executives of really big corporations, celebrities, and the second-generation rich. As for non-Shanghainese, there are a few only.

They are high-end car-buyers. BMW’s and Mercedez Benz’s are status symbols. They have at least 2 cars. They do not need to work, and the majority of them are married (just waiting for the second, third, fourth marriage). Those who are not married would not get married at all. They start not looking for lovers anymore as they have mistresses instead. They start playing golf, take boating as a hobby, and listen to concerts. They rarely eat out as their mistresses will cook hotpot for them. They have 2 to 3 phones with one of the numbers only a few people know. They only use the Internet for work (not for entertainment) and occasionally watch television and read high-end magazines. After work, besides socializing in dinner parties and others, they go to their mistresses to relax. The women like going to salons and working out at the gym…and may start their menopause early.

They live in inner subdivisions and/or holiday villas.

VI. Wealthy Class (Billionaires)

They are at the top of the pyramid. Annual income is RMB 2,000,000 or more.

They are the entrepreneurs or those senior officials waiting for their retirement.

They have 3 to 5 cars, 3 to 5 businesses, and 3 to 5 mistresses or lovers. Majority of them are over 40 years old and married and would not divorce their wives because of a lover. They have extreme attitudes when it comes to work–they can be workaholics or do not like to work at all. But in terms of their emotional and spiritual health, they are unfortunately empty. Their family situation is also extreme–broken family, separated for many years or is together (looks good as the dead water on the surface). Half of their lives are in Shanghai, while they spend their other half abroad. Most of them have foreign green cards (or are permanent residents abroad). Their kids study in international schools. Wealth to them is nothing at all. They begin to have concern for the poor and charitable foundations. No phone numbers on business cards as most probably the number you know is just one in a dozen. They participate in fewer business meetings. They frequent golf clubs, yacht clubs, race courses, and other high-end places. Except for eating, going to the toilet, and sleeping, they have other people doing stuff for them. Some of them have 1 to 2 friends who really share a hobby or interest with them.

They live in inner subdivisions and villas. They might not even know how many houses they have all-in-all.

VII. The Reserved Wealthy

They never have to work a day in their lives or even feel the existence of money. They go everywhere, around the world. Their parents and/or them control Shanghai and/or China’s economy. They have a say in its financial direction.

They have every material item to their beckoning. But they would never drive a BMW or Mercedes Benz. They have servants to cook for them. They eat out only at 5-star hotels. And they do their shopping abroad like Hong Kong or Thailand.

They do not look much differently from ordinary people. They do not have a must-go place or a must-do thing-to-do. But they also can not go to a lot of places, can not do a lot of stuff. They have a lot of money and a lot of time in their hands. Their actions affect the fifth and sixth groups.

They live in the Xintiandi area or the old-fashioned mansions in Binjiang District. Most of the property are not in their name, but they are the actual owners.

Shanghai may be part of the top 50 most expensive cities to live in the world, but it is not the most expensive city in China to get married. And it is not Beijing either. China’s capital may have placed only 55 in ECA International’s cost of living ranking as compared to Shanghai which placed 46th, however it is said to rank second in the expensive-to-get-married-city scale in China.

Getting Married In Shanghai

1. Decent housing (80 square meters and above) with an average price of RMB 20,100 per square meter; RMB 20,100 x 80 = RMB 1,608,000.

2. Renovation and interior design for a 100-square-meter floor area; RMB 150,000.

3. Household appliances and furniture; RMB 100,000 (though some women get this in the form of dowry).

4. An ordinary car; RMB 100,000.

5. Wedding banquet with 25 tables in an average-star hotel; RMB 1,000 x 25 = RMB 25,000. Subtract to that the RMB 1,200 average wedding money (hongbao) you will get per table. You get to at least keep RMB 1,200 x 25 =  RMB 5,000.

6. Honeymoon to Hong Kong or Macau with the main destination to Hainan; RMB 6,000 travel expenses per person thus for both husband and wife- RMB 6,000 x 2 = RMB 12,000.

7. Courting stage for 2 years. This includes going out on dates, buying of gifts, entertainment, travel, giving of gifts to girlfriend’s parents. Average of RMB 1,800 per month. So for 2 years- RMB 1,800 x 12 months x 2 years = RMB 43,200.

In summary, total cost is RMB 1,608,000 + RMB 150,000 + RMB 100,000 + RMB 100,000 – RMB 5,000 + RMB 12,000 + RMB 43, 200 = RMB 2,008,200.

Getting Married In Beijing

1. Decent housing near the 6th Ring Road (80 square meters and above) with an average price of RMB 20,000 per square meter; RMB 20,100 x 80 = RMB 1,600,000. In Beijing, prices of real estate inside the ring road are considerably higher than other parts of town.

2. Renovation and interior design for a 100-square-meter floor area; RMB 150,000.

3. Household appliances and furniture; RMB 80,000 (though some women get this in the form of dowry).

4. Standard car; RMB 120,000. (The Hyundai Elantra is preferred.)

5. Wedding banquet with 200 guests (20 tables) in a 4-star hotel; RMB 200 x 200 = RMB 40,000. Subtract to that the RMB 2,000 average wedding money (hongbao) you will get per table. And you just break even.

6. Honeymoon. Beijingers refused to go to Hong Kong or Macau or Hainan. Instead, they will go to Australia or Europe or the Maldives spending around RMB 10,000 per person. So total honeymoon trip will cost around RMB 30,000.

7.  Courting stage for 2 years. This includes going out on dates, buying of gifts, entertainment, travel, giving of gifts to girlfriend’s parents. Average of RMB 2,000 per month. So for 2 years- RMB 2,000 x 12 months x 2 years = RMB 48,000.

In summary, total cost is RMB 1,600,000 + RMB 150,000 + RMB 80,000 + RMB 120,000 + RMB 30,000 + RMB 48,000 = RMB 2,028,000.

Getting Married In Shenzhen

The most expensive is said to be in Shenzhen. However, this information might not be so true anymore if we based it on housing prices alone (given the housing crisis in China). Before, the price per square meter can reach up to RMB 22,300. But the property prices in Shenzhen (just north of Hong Kong) have dropped sharply in the last couple of months which is the largest property decline across China.

Anyway, what do you think of the figures above? How realistic are they? Is getting married in China a not so realistic option?

(The Party: The Secret World of China’s Communist Rulers, by Richard McGregor, 273pp)

It’s depressing to realize how 273 tiny pages can raise the ire of the humongous Chinese Communist Party and kick up such a colossal domestic fuss, yet veteran journalist Richard McGregor‘s latest work of investigative prose succeeded in doing exactly that.

Going deep behind Zhongnanhai “enemy lines” in a way few foreign scribblers or Zhongguotong — those cliched “Old China Hands” — would ever dare to (on fear of reprisals from PRC authorities), McGregor serves up a red hot zinger of an indictment on the inner-workings of China’s Big Red Machine, the party tugging the levers of power inside the authoritarian capitalist country.

The book is the work of more than a decade of silent toil and research by the relentless Australian, a journalist who traveled to and fro between the PRC, Hong Kong, and his native Land of Oz, with family in tow, as he compiled interview after painstaking off-the-record interview for this comprehensive tell-all.

To be sure, The Party‘s already been banned across China; yet, then again, we fully expected it would be and, come to think of it, doesn’t it kind of add to its cachet in a very Zhao Ziyang-esque sort of way (let us know in the comments below!).

What kind of illicit treasures can be found inside this latest oeuvre of CCP criticism, you ask? What in tarnation is so taboo, you want to know? I mean, what exactly is the Central Committee so goshdarn afraid of?

All good starting questions…

McGregor — like other so-called “China experts” — knows several of the answers. All of this tracks back to that “sum of all fears” for the Chinese Communist Party: the fear of losing total control of the state apparatus and helplessly witnessing as the nation-state reverts back into the pre-revolutionary Armageddon-like times which reigned supreme during Chiang’s rule.

The CCP, oddly enough, permits practically anything and everything that doesn’t directly clash with its interests or harm its preeminent position within Chinese society.

This is the reason why, for instance, visitors to China can observe such things as LGBT bars in the ‘jing, yet no organized national gay pride parade exists for China. This is also the reason why Chinese citizens are legally permitted to freely practice their chosen form of religion…provided they link up with one of China’s wholly (holy?) state-sponsored places of worship, be it a church, a mosque, or a Buddhist shrine. Say you’re a Roman Catholic? No problemo, provided you don’t recognize the Pontiff as your spiritual shogun with the lone direct hookup to the Man Upstairs. A proud and practicing Muslim? Cool beans, so long as you don’t buy into the drivel Rebiya Khadeer has been popularizing in the Western mass media. And, oh yeah, you can’t be a member of that group with its first initial before the letter “G.”

The basic “silent agreement” between the State and these various religious acolytes is that all must avoid demonstrating for greater faith-based openness in that Big Square which sprawls out in front of the Forbidden City — yeah, that one. Or else!

Crazy Eights:

McGregor unfurls his argument in eight exquisite chapters. He deems these to be the eight key areas in which the CCP’s influence pervades Chinese society. In order:

1. The CCP’s relationship towards the Chinese State.
2. The CCP’s capitalist leanings in the wake of the Deng-era (aka, “China Inc.”).
3. The CCP’s iron-fisted control of its personnel files.
4. The CCP’s relationship towards the People Liberation Army (PLA).
5. The CCP’s total dominance by “The (notorious) Shanghai Gang.”
6. The CCP’s relationship with towns and regions far away from Beijing.
7. The CCP’s capitalist shell surrounding its so-called “socialist” core.
8. Tombstone:  The book which revealed the true death toll from Mao’s Great Leap Forward (>30 million citizens).

Salient Points:

Rather than supply a detailed breakdown of all eight chapters — thereby ruining the fun for you, dear reader, as you track down your illicit copy of The Party — why don’t I summarize what you can expect to find in each, thereby whetting your chops for the bigger feast to come?

1. The CCP’s relationship towards the Chinese State: Nothing that happens in China occurs without the CCP’s blessing. Any organization, body, association, business, and/or any dealing with any foreign power — either in the Southeast Asian region or internationally — always occurs via the CCP’s direct intervention. Party membership is coveted by business types as it affords them access and needed connections. The Party bills itself as the preeminent force preventing China from teetering back into Century of Humiliation-like anarchy. Like an octopus, and in emulation of Lenin’s dictates about the Communist Party of the Soviet Union being everywhere at all times, the CCP penetrates every facet of Chinese society.
2. The CCP’s capitalist leanings in the wake of the Deng-era (aka, “China Inc.”): Being accepted into the CCP’s ranks is no mere ideological progression. Rather, it’s a step up the ladder of corporate and commercial success in China. Former State-owned enterprises that were gradually privatized are still run by a silent cabal of Party loyalists who duly take their instructions from on high in Beijing, despite any decisions these firms’ various boards of directors or CEOs might make regarding the strategic direction of the company they preside over. The Party always has final say. And a company director can always be overruled by the most senior Party member on the board. CEOs carrying membership also receive the coveted “red hotline” in their offices, the direct line from Beijing. Their phone numbers are so exclusive, that they’re limited to just four digits. And when that red box rings, you better pick up.
3. The CCP’s iron-fisted control of its personnel files: Being in total command of information flows is also a key CCP characteristic: all the better to avoid unexpected media leaks or to parties with an aim to toppling the CCP’s legitimacy via a coup. Personnel files are fiercely guarded in Beijing-area buildings that don’t even carry distinctive visitor-friendly markings on the outside. The merits and demerits of its several thousand members — hand-written on paper cards — still remains one of the nation’s most fiercely guarded secrets. The Party uses these cards to award concessions, favors, or privileges or to dole out punishment to its adherents and members.
4. The CCP’s relationship towards the People Liberation Army (PLA): The PLA exists solely to safeguard the Party, not the Chinese people and neither the integrity of the Chinese state. Believe me when I tell you these various strapping youths are expressly recruited for their stature and capacity to intimidate. I witnessed with my own eyes how these Tiananmen Guards strike fear into thousands of onlookers because at whose behest they serve (i.e. the Party’s). The PLA remains the Party’s vanguard force, tasked with protecting the Party from all threats both from within and from without.
5. The CCP’s total dominance by “The (notorious) Shanghai Gang:” Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin was the exemplar of the might of Shanghai politics in the Communist Party’s upper ranks. Once he become President back in October 1992, Jiang moved quickly to entrench Shanghai’s position amongst the capital’s power elites. Shanghai went from being the bastard child of the new People’s Republic — the city most despised by the Communist Party for all it represented during the interwar period — to a thriving, thoroughly-modern colossus. It’s no mere coincidence that Shanghai and its gorgeous Bund views are the most recognizable thing about China outside of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall.
6. The CCP’s relationship with towns and regions far away from Beijing: The infamous Sanlu (“Three Deers”) melamine scandal, in which a form of plastic was added in lieu of protein to bolster the consistency of this company’s milk is a recent example of this. Regional Party members seek to leverage their power within rural Party fiefdoms strictly for gain. It’s what one anonymous Chinese blogger called the “black-collar class: their cars are black. Their income is hidden. Their life is hidden. Their work is hidden. Everything about them is hidden, like a man wearing black, standing in the black of the night.” A ranking compiled by most popular Chinese portal sina.com of the numbers of people seeking information about particular government jobs revealed that “…of the top ten government bodies which received the most expressions of interest for positions, eight were provincial tax bureaux, topped by Guangdong, all of them along the prosperous coast; and two were customs bureaux of Shanghai and Shenzhen. The bottom ten which attracted the least interest, were all provincial statistics bureaux.” With Beijing so far from the regions, who notices when things go awry until it’s too late?
7. The CCP’s capitalist shell surrounding its so-called “socialist” core: The Party in 2010 isn’t the same Party of Mao. In fact, today’s CCP bears little resemblance to the revolutionary mass organization which won the hearts of WWII-weary Chinese citizens back in the late 1940s. This is a more business-oriented party. Fully corrupt. Swayed by profit. Droning on fulsomely about its socialist roots and leanings, meanwhile it erects ever-larger, ever more luxurious, and ever-megalomaniacal infrastructure projects across the breadth of China. Now that the government is flush with cash, it’s begun spending on the population: roads and hospitals, for instance, yet this is a relatively recent phenomenon.
8. Tombstone:  The book which revealed the true death toll from Mao’s Great Leap Forward (>30 million citizens): Tombstone: Yang Jisheng‘s account of the true death toll from the Great Leap Forward. A fitting end for The Party because of how it handily summarizes the main themes of the previous chapters: the CCP’s rigid control of information as it forged data about the Great Leap. How the regions were quick to avail themselves of their distance from Beijing to falsely report only information Beijing wanted to hear. How the Party sought to silence those who has the power to knock it off its pedestal. Yet this intrepid Xinhua journalist — yes, an insider! — devoted fifteen years of his life to meticulously notate over one thousand pages of stats from regional bureaus as the core material for his book. McGregor cites the (only Hong Kong, for now) publication of Tombstone as an example of how the Party appears to be morphing over time. Yang’s heretical work would have surely been destroyed — with Yang himself likely imprisoned or killed by the state — more twenty years ago. Does this seemingly permissive act hold out future promise for the Chinese Communist Party? McGregor appears to want his readers to decide.

Should You Buy This Book?

Yes! Just don’t get arrested buying it. There’s enough incendiary information contained within its pages to fully indict the Party for its misdeeds, sundry corruptions, and other flagrant recent abuses of power. Short of a few random hardcover copies flitting around Beijing-area indie bookshops, don’t expect to find this on Chinese bookshelves — either in its original English or in translation — anytime soon.

For any aspiring China Hand, amateur Sinologist, or Sinophile, The Party makes for deeply engaging fare.

But for all you vets out there, this book will only serve to reinforce the message you already know that the CCP isn’t a object to be trifled with.

I just came back from Shanghai studying Mandarin in Fudan University. Someone said–you can learn any language from anywhere you are. Like you do not need to go to China to study Mandarin.

True. I actually studied Mandarin in my country before I even knew there is such a place called China.

So why the need to go to China learn Chinese?!

Good question. My friend Allan said it best–

The exposure in terms of listening and reading helps a lot. Also, the very valuable opportunity to practice your speaking skills could not be given credit enough. The setting itself allows one to blossom his Mandarin skills.

And with that, if you are planning to go to China to take up language courses, here are some tips to help you along the way.

What school should I go to? Beijing or Shanghai?

Here we are at it again. Beijing or Shanghai? First, realize that there are other places in China aside from Beijing and Shanghai. Like Harbin or Tianjin.

Purists will say that choosing a good school to enroll in is probably the most important factor to consider as the right learning environment will give you the motivation to continue learning.

Personally, I think there is no difference if you go to whichever university or school. [Unless there are people here who think otherwise, I welcome your comments below!] If you are seriously motivated, I think you can achieve your goals still.

Though I have bias to Fudan University in Shanghai as it is one of the top universities in China last 2008 and 2009. Before going to Fudan, my dream school was Beijing Language and Culture University or BLCU for short. They have the best books for Chinese learning.

One of the most important considerations I have heard was that if the place has a lot of non-Chinese. Because if the place has a lot of non-Chinese (and what’s worst, if they know how to speak English), your opportunities of interacting with the Chinese locals are not a lot.

But then, if you are studying Chinese in China after all, there is 99.99% chance that your classmates are foreigners. [The tolerance factor is because I have met Chinese who actually enrolled in the same language program as I did. But their curriculum was a bit slanted. They might have grew up abroad so that they do not know much hanzi or Chinese characters, etc.]

Another consideration is the weather. Do you like the cold? Whether you will be staying in the first semester or the second semester, you still might catch a few weeks of winter (depending on the area). Fall semester generally starts on September 1st, and ends around just before Chinese New Year. Spring semester starts on March 1st and ends in mid-June. You can check out China.org.cn for their China weather map.

And if you are paying your way to China, you might want to think about the cost of living. Different areas in China have varying costs of living. China Briefing did research on the cost of living in 9 major cities in China for 2009.

Now that we are on the subject of money…

I have heard that the Chinese government offers scholarships. How do I apply?

I actually thought of applying for this scholarship, but the requirements were just too tedious, and I had trouble coordinating with our country’s embassy on this. But as they say, no pain, no gain. So you might want to read up on the China Scholarship Council.

This scholarship is actually very competitive. A friend recommended that I ask about the local government scholarships instead. Like within Shanghai only. You have to inquire about this directly to your school of choice.

Just some random question–but where do I stay–dorm or apartment?

Tough decision. If you want a no-brainer answer, stay in the school dormitory. But if you want to have more freedom and/or save on cash, an apartment maybe the way to go. Generally, anything for the international student is more expensive. Tuition is more expensive. And dorm accommodations are more expensive too.

How expensive? I mean, come on, Fudan has a special price list for international students.

With an apartment, if you could find (safe) people who can share with you, I think it would be really fun! But dorm life is also another thing. And at least, it is within the campus vicinity.

By the way, Fudan does not have curfew on the foreign students dormitory.

Fudan University Foreign Students Dormitory

Sample room--actually, my room before I accumulated tons of stuff

Or you could always look for an apartment outside.

I thought going to China has a setting which allows me to”blossom my Mandarin skills”? How could I do that with all those English-speaking people around me?

This is a question of discipline. In China, especially if you are learning the language for the first time, your comfort zone would be around your English-speaking peers. You should go out of your way to maximize local interactions which would not be available in your home country. How do you do that?

Look for a language partner.

I found out that it helps if you have at least one language buddy who will meet with you on a regular basis. There are a lot of Chinese who want to improve their English as well so they are eager to pair up with a foreigner.

But if you are going to China on your own, how do you pick a language partner who does not turn out to be an axe murderer? Ask your teacher for referrals. He or she can post an ad in the school’s BBS or forum. And since he/she is a teacher from that school, he/she would know how the BBS culture of that school is. Another thing is, your teacher might personally know a local student who is also looking for a language partner. That is how I met mine.

Join school organizations.

Are you musically talented? Join the school orchestra. My friend did just that. She said that she was the only non-Chinese in the group, and it really helped her speaking skills.

School organizations are excellent venues for you to meet local students. Many recruit at the start of the school year. Again, if you are hesitant, your teacher would be happy to help you.

Have internships. Volunteer your time.

I was really fortunate to have a lot of learning experiences outside class hours. As an intern with HUBS1 and working with Elliott on Expotia (which is the official hotel reservation service provider of Expo 2010), I have interacted with a number of Chinese-speaking individuals. And because I was in Shanghai during the World Expo, I decided to take advantage of the event by volunteering there as well. [In the meantime, why not check out CNReviews' coverage of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo?]

Some of my friends volunteered at a few migrant schools teaching little kids. They found out about this through a school organization.

Basically, you really need to go out of your way to look for opportunities where you can maximize your Chinese education that you cannot easily have when you are back home. Otherwise, what is the point of you going to China when you can simply learn the language from where you are at?

Now that I have decided to learn Chinese, what your top 3 tips?

Allan graciously shared his tips on learning Chinese–

1. Repetition.

Mandarin is one of the most grueling languages to learn in the world. The sheer number of characters with the limited combination of tones could make the language daunting and confusing all at the same time.

But it is possible, well, a billion people could speak it, so why couldn’t I?

So one should really invest time in writing, listening, speaking etc. until it becomes natural to you. The key here is to focus on the basics, and do not try to do too much too soon. Once you master the basics you will make a solid foundation to build upon.

2. Do not be afraid to make mistakes.

There is a common notion that we learn more through our failures rather than our successes. This is also true in Mandarin especially in spoken Chinese. Do not be afraid to make mistakes as this is probably one of the quickest ways to learn. Do not worry about being embarrassed. People will be forgiving especially when they know that you are a foreigner. They would be happy to see you exerting effort in learning the language. It is also by venturing out that you learn plenty of things that the books would not teach you such as daily expressions and more commonly used spoken terms.

3. Do not rely too much on the books.

What I mean here is, books are definitely a valuable asset in learning the language, no doubt about that. I think though you must take the extra step outside the books in learning the language. Keeping a separate notebook for new words that you hear randomly during conversations, class etc. that you feel you can directly use in daily conversations is very helpful. We all have our varying styles of speaking, and our vocabulary are all different. You are the one who knows the kind of words you usually use, hence certain words for me may not be as valuable as it is to you. Thus, whenever you hear words that you deem important, make mental notes or if possible jot them down right away. This will help you develop smoother and more natural conversations, because you are armed with the words that come out naturally from your thought process

I agree with all of them. Let me just add my own top 3 tips.

• Speak Chinese to your classmates. Do not use English. Even when you are just starting to learn, force yourself to speak the language. And you will develop this habit later on. Because of how I look, some of my classmates at first do not know I can speak English. I had 2 classmates–an Italian and a German–who would converse with each other in English–then turn back to me and translate everything in Chinese. I know it is bad, but I actually let them continue (until they found out much later on that I can actually understand everything!). The lesson here is not to trick your classmates into thinking you are some ignorant person but to develop the habit of speaking to everyone in Chinese. Because we started this way, we still use Mandarin with each other even after class.
• Make friends with everyone. There are 5 vital people–the ayi, the dorm security, the street food vendor, the taxi driver, and the bookstore/clothes shop guy (whichever you frequent). They love a good conversation especially when they find out you a student learning their language.
• And when you done with your China stint, watch Chinese shows and movies and listen to Chinese songs. I really like watching Taiwanese soaps even before going to China. I think I have received most of my Mandarin education through here than 10+ years of Chinese schooling! Let me know if you want some recommendations.

So that’s it! If you have tips of your own, please share them in the comments below. And if you have any other questions on learning Chinese in China, let me know.

Steven Weathers

As someone interested in the Shanghai Expo, I started streaming videos from ICS or International Channel Shanghai online for their EXPO 360° shows. [Our dorm has television, but we have to pay for connection. Ugh.] The segment actually has a lot of hosts (both locals and foreigners) who goes inside the different pavilions and just tours the audience. One of the hosts, Steven Weathers, is this friendly dude who is always enthusiastic on cam.

I do not usually meet TV personalities in person; because well, they are supposed to stay behind the cameras. Heh. And I honestly think they run around places all day getting the scoop on things to film or talk about. But Steven Weathers was different as he actually had time to talk about what he does for a living (even if I think it gets repetitive already for him).

So we agreed to meet in Yogo Juice near West Nanjing Road Station. Steven arrived carrying his MacBook Air [which looks really sleek by the way]. Apparently, he was doing the finishing touches for a voice over while walking all the way from the studio. That level of multitasking? I don’t think I could do that.

Expotia wrote a quick bio of Steven Weathers in their blog giving him the title of Best Expo Job Contender. That alone made me all the more intrigued. Videos of his EXPO 360° shows are also posted in the Expotia blog.

For laowais who have thought about breaking into the China scene, Steven Weathers can be said to be a model of sorts. And yes, pun totally intended.

CNR: Tell me about your love affair with China.

Steven Weathers: I love traveling. I went to graduate school in St. Andrews, Scotland. It was cheaper back then to travel on vacations, and we have 3 or 4 week vacations. So rather than buying a ticket back home to America, I would travel to Europe and saw almost all European countries. I have always loved international cultures and meeting new people and assimilating. My first trip to China was in 1998. I came with a tour group for about 2 weeks traveling to Beijing and Xian. And I loved China. The people in the tour group said that in 10 years I would be here and work here in China. And I laughed at them and thought they were crazy.

But I started thinking about it. I had a company that time that was into marketing and advertising. I enjoyed it immensely. Same projects every day. Seven days a week. I was a workaholic. But I missed living overseas. So I started looking into China, because it was slated to be a world leader in the future. So I came 2005.

CNR: Wow, just 5 years ago.

Steven: Yup, only 5 years. I am fairly new compared to other foreigners I have met who have been here 15 to 20 years.

CNR: How did you start with ICS then?

Steven: Good question. My first year in China was not in Shanghai. It was in a city called Luoyang in Henan Province. I was there a year as an English teacher. I enjoyed that experience immensely. It was very quiet, and it gave me the chance to learn Chinese quickly as compared to learning in a big city. I was very isolated. We were only 6 foreigners at that time among 6 million people. It was unlike Shanghai or Beijing where you have dozens of foreigners. So I leaned Chinese more quickly at that time. But I knew I wanted to go to Beijing or Shanghai. So after 1 year, I had an opportunity to teach at Shanghai Normal University where I taught marketing and advertising and British and American literature.

After that, I immediately got pulled into the media industry. A foreign friend of mine whose wife is a Chinese agent helped me get into projects. I was soon involved in 40 commercials, music videos, and TV series.

CNR: Ok, stupid question. You were in the commercials, right? Not behind the scenes.

Steven: In the commercials as an actor. I was with Stephanie Sun from Singapore and Yang Lan. That was with the oolong cha commercial. Also Jacky Cheung. I was also in an S.H.E music video. These are all gigs that happened between 2006 and 2008.

By 2008, I auditioned for a TV series called 蜗居 (Wo Ju); and I did not know anything about it. I just knew they were looking for a foreigner learning Chinese. And there was another foreigner learning Chinese who auditioned. He has the perfect Chinese. But he did not get in, and I got in. So I asked why. I heard the director say it was because my Chinese was not very good!

CNR: How is your Chinese right now?

Steven: 现在我的中文还不行。但是我听得懂80%-90%。[Right now, my Chinese is not very good. But I can understand 80% to 90% of the time.]

CNR: 哇， 你很棒！[Wow, you’re great!--I just love saying that.]

Steven: No, no, no. 马马虎虎吧。[So-so.] So I could learn Chinese through the script in 蜗居. After that I was in Du Lala Sheng Zhi Ji (Go Lala Go!) , and I played Du Lala’s boss Howard. That was just recently.

ICS came onto the scene about a year and a half ago. I was a host of a government video on the Expo explaining Expo online. I was chosen by the government to be that host.  It’s a video you could still find on the Internet. And ICS saw that and liked it. At the same time, I had my own series called老外实现 (Foreigner’s Perspective) and had made 3 episodes and put them on the Internet and a number of producers saw that. You could also see that over at the Internet.  I have 20 episodes of those. It is self-produced, self-acted, self-edited, self-everything. One-man show. All over China. Travel features. Culture features. And ICS producers saw those as well and said, “Get in here!” And after that, the ball rolled quickly, and I had many opportunities to host in ICS.

CNR: I saw your videos on the Expo. Do you write your own script?

Steven: Sometimes we have a shot list. So there is an editor for each of the features. That’s not me. It’s the director. And they will prepare a rough script or an outline. But often I use my own language. I script it as we go. Just because I have to discover the pavilion and quickly synthesize the information and give it back to the video. Sometimes we have a script, sometimes we don’t.

CNR: What are your views on the Expo? What was your initial reaction and right now?

Steven: Well, my initial reaction was I was excited about it because I have been to a world expo in 1982 in America . It was in Knoxville, Tennessee. Small world’s fair. But I remember I was only a child. I went with my family and some family friends. I remembered seeing the USA pavilion had a new technology called a “touch screen”.  That was so exciting! That was put up by Apple computer. And now we all have Apple phones, and we all touch the screens.  You know it’s cool 20 years later, 25 years later that we have technology like that in our pockets. I remember things like that.  So I thought the Shanghai Expo is going to show us some cool new technology. It’s going to be a chance to see other cultures. I had no idea 25 years later I would be that involved in this world’s expo and seeing cultural performances and taking part in them.

CNR: Any bad thoughts on it? Because well, it’s crowded.

Steven: Yeah…a lot of people say 人山人海. People mountain people sea. And some days that’s true. Huge tour buses arrive from other provinces. But one of the secrets I’ve found is not to follow the crowds. Go to joint pavilions. The joint pavilions are those pavilions with several countries inside. Hardly any lines in those places. I don’t think it’s worth the wait to see the huge pavilions for 2, 3 hours!

CNR: But you’re from the media. You get to skip the lines.

Steven: I’ve waited in lines. Because after filming I oftentimes go around on my own. And you’re right, I haven’t had to wait for the large pavilions. But when I go inside, I don’t think they’re anymore special than the smaller pavilions. They may be larger. But they’re no more special.

CNR: So after the Expo, what are your plans?

Steven: That’s a great question! And it’s a good time to ask. Because I’m planning a new show after the Expo. It’s going to be an entertainment show.  But I don’t want to share too much about it. It’s going to be a surprise!

Here are Steven’s top 5 Expo tips (especially for us at CNReviews!).

1. Night Tickets: If you live in Shanghai, visit the Expo park in the evening. The weather is cooler, the crowds are fewer, and the lines are definitely shorter. I recently took my cousin to visit the park, and we didn’t have to wait for any pavilion. We saw 14, including Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Philippines and more.

2. International Treats: I don’t recommend taking food to the park, because there are many international flavors there. My favorite meal is next to the Africa Joint Pavilion in the African Cantine. The restaurant’s name is Hakuna Matata, and you can try an ostrich-meat meal for only 33 RMB.

3. Joint Pavilions: The best way to see many countries’ pavilions is visiting the joint pavilions like Africa, Asia, Europe, and Central & South America. The lines, if any, are very short, and you can feel like your on a fast-pass to world travel.

4. Easy Entry: If you live in Puxi, take the MaDang Road entrance with the metro right into the park. The security lines are short, and when you enter the park, you will be right in the middle of some great pavilions.

5. Coffee: If you’re a coffee lover like I am, try some of the world’s best coffees in Ethiopia (African Joint Pavilion), Ecuador (Central & South American Pavilion), Brazil, and ColumbiaDarn.

Was I starstrucked seeing ICS EXPO 360° man Steven Weathers? Well, not really. He was your regular TV host. But so down-to-earth and easy to talk to. However, I did wish I asked him more about S.H.E! Follow Steven Weathers on Twitter @sdweathers. See Steven Weathers’ EXPO 360° videos at Expotia.

Are you coming to Shanghai (or flying out) and want to take the Maglev to the city (or airport)? Here is all you need to know about Pudong’s ultimate superlative.

The Maglev is based on a system of magnetic levitation technology designed by the German company Trans-Rapid. It is the fastest way from the city to the airport as its highest speed can reach 431kph in just under 8 minutes. However, it is not the most convenient; because it only starts at Longyang Station all the way to PVG. From wherever you are, you have to take another form of transport system going to Longyang. Or if you are coming from the airport, you have to step off at Longyang and take something else  to wherever you are going.

The steps shown here start from Longyang. But it is just the same banana if you are coming from the airport–just reverse everything.

Before proceeding, have you checked this post already? Clear out your options first on how you want to go downtown from PVG before deciding on taking the Maglev.

From Longyang to PVG

Take Metro Line 2 (the green line) and get-off at Longyang Station. When you reach Longyang, look for the sign pointing to the Maglev station.

Sign pointing to Maglev station

You might want to say goodbye first to whoever is dropping you off at the station, because they would not be joining you as they need to exit the turnstiles and pay if they do. Hehe.

Goodbye...

Proceed to Exit 4

Just follow the arrows towards Exit 4 and you will see a McDonald’s to your right and a Chinese fast food to your left.

Go up the escalators…

Up, up the escalators

…and buy your ticket to a very fast ride.

You will immediately see the ticket booth when you reach the second floor. Do not worry about not speaking Chinese. English-language signs are all over the place.

The ticket booth

How much is the fare?

For single-trip, it is RMB 50; but if you show your plane ticket, it is only RMB 40. However, if the plane ticket you brought with you does not fly on that same day (like I did), heave a sigh of relief if you have your public transportation card with you; because that will also entitle you to a RMB 40 ticket (like I did).

What I did was, I raced back down to the ground floor again towards the service center to deposit money in my transportation card.

I think these people were thinking of the same thing.

Anyway, round-trip is RMB 80. Now why would you want a round-trip ticket if you are flying out of Shanghai anyway? Because a round-trip ticket is valid for 7 days. You can fly out then come back to Shanghai within the 7-day period.

There are VIP prices too, by the way. Single-trip is RMB 100, and round-trip is RMB 160. All round-trips are valid for 7 days. All discounts are 20% less if you present your plane ticket of the same day or use your public transportation card to pay.

Basically, if you have a VIP ticket, your cabin interiors are nicer; and that’s about it. So decide too if those 7 minutes of your life are worth double the price of a ticket.

In summary–

• Single-trip economy is RMB 50. VIP is RMB 100. Validity is 1 day only.
• Round-trip economy is RMB 80. VIP is RMB 160. Validity is 7 days.
• Souvenir-ticket (for single-trip and economy only) is RMB 55. This is valid for 2 years.

Why is there a special souvenir ticket?

Because they take the tickets when you exit the train. If you want to keep your ticket, buy the souvenir ticket. However, if you are a cheapskate (like me) and is just contented with taking a picture, then just buy the regular-priced ticket.

But if you will be using your public transportation card…

…you do not get a ticket. Just swipe your card like what you normally do. So I just took a picture of my friend’s single-trip economy ticket.

Single-trip economy

Frequent passengers

If you think you will be riding the Maglev quite often, you could buy the RMB 900 ticket good for 30 single trips valid for 1 year from date of purchase.

You can also buy your tickets at the vending machine.

Ticket vending machine

Time table

Take note of the following boarding times and speed increases of the Maglev:

Time table & maximum speeds

Before you board, you might want to check out the Maglev museum at the ground floor. The museum is composed of “Birth of Maglev”, “Maglev Shanghai Line”, “Maglev Technology”, “Maglev Superiorities”, and “Prospects for Maglev” halls.

This is free for Maglev passengers.

The trip is less than 8 minutes. But if you think you would go hungry during that time, well, the station has a small store in the second floor where you can buy last-minute snacks before checking-in–aside from the ones at the ground floor of course.

Small store

Boarding

Like the airport and the metro, there is also luggage-check before boarding the train.

Security x-ray

And there are group check-ins too.

Group check-ins

If you have been to the train or metro station before, the Maglev boarding area does not look any different.

Before riding the train

Once you get in the train, there are places for you to secure your luggage.

Luggage compartments

Lots of seats. Seat anywhere.

We started at this time…

Actually around 14.45. But, dude! Look at the speed after one minute!

Top speed!

…and stopped at this time.

And it was over just like that.

What was the experience like? Well, there were about 2 sharp curves. And it was really fast. Probably if the time was longer than 8 minutes, the ride would not feel as comfortable.

Is it worth a second try? If my time is really short, like I need to get to a business meeting or whatever, the Maglev will save me time definitely. PVG metro station to Longyang will take about 50 minutes already. However, maybe I should be taking an earlier flight instead so as not to stress myself with that time difference.

Tweet from @ybbswc

Shanghai metro has exploded? Please confirm.

Then retweeted:

Tweet from @xiao_su

Explosion!!!

@DavidFeng

A search in Twitter reveals the micro chatter of netizens on this topic:

Twitter chatter

Even the Chinese BBS and Weibo caught on the frenzy:

Weibo chatter

More Chinese micro chatter

Shanghai metro explosion? Rumor has it that it did. Heard it resulted from gas explosion. Another source.

But later it was confirmed that it was just a false alarm:

At 1.30pm June 25, a fire occurred at a construction site for a dormitory in Lujiazui, Pudong. The fire completely destroyed the 2-floor dormitory building. But no injuries were reported.

Xinmin.cn also released a confirmation on this incident with an exclusive video on what actually happened:

Some important points from this few hours of excitement–

What do you think?

If you look at which pavilion is generating the most interest on the internet, there’s no easy answer. Break it up into segments and sites, and it gets more interesting.

Seed Cathedral, UK Pavilion, Shanghai World Expo

1. Flickr – Which pavilion’s photos are being uploaded and shared on sites like Flickr and Twitter the most number of times? The clear winner is the UK Pavilion. The Seed Cathedral is by far the most popular Expo pavilion picture on the internet, and the craze even extends to video (see YouTube below).

2. Foursquare – Of all the country pavilions at the Expo listed as venues on Foursquare, the USA Pavilion got the most number of checkins (167 as of June 12), followed by the China Pavilion (65), and UK/Japan tied for third place with 47 checkins each.

Also to be noted that the North Korea Pavilion has 32 checkins, which makes it one of the leading Expo country pavilions on Foursquare, just behind Canada (33).

3. Social Media - Only a handful of Country Pavilions have official Twitter accounts or Facebook pages. Out of those who did create an account, the USA Pavilion leads the game on Twitter (@MeiGuoGuan) with 2,466 followers as of June 12. The USA Pavilion also has created official accounts on Sina, QQ, Renren, Flickr and Youku.

4. YouTube – The most popular Expo country pavilion videos uploaded in the last 2 months are both of the UK Pavilion – one with over 53,000 views (as of June 12) and the other with 41, 108 views. The second most popular Expo pavilion on YouTube is the Japanese Pavilion, where the violin-playing robot from Toyota is attracting a lot of attention.

Upcoming YouTube expo videos of specific pavilions include the Australia Pavilion’s Rusty Shed and the wind tunnel Aerodium at the Latvia Pavilion.

In summary – On the internet, the UK Pavilion is the most visible pavilion, with the USA Pavilion most popular on social networks.

Photo – Gabyu