I spent a week in Rugao, Jiangsu, a 3rd or 4th tier city about 200 km northwest of Shanghai participating in the 20th Asian Masters Athletics Championship. I went there with a simple expectation, other than trying to get into the finals of the 100m event for the 65-69 age group, to take some good photos of historical architecture, of a China before development wipes away all that was there in the past. I lugged along my SLR, which I normally don’t especially when I was there to run and not sightseeing. It was a piece of baggage that I would have to bear with for the whole trip.
I did not get to see what I would want to see in Rugao, a city famous for having the most centenarians alive in China. We arrived at Rugao nearly midnight and the first sight of Rugao was in the morning, from the window of Wenfeng City Hotel. There, right in front of me were rows and rows of neatly built and good quality low rise homes of pretty recent origin. And there were many high rise condomium rising in the distance. The streets were landscaped and manicured and not much different from Singapore.
The infrastructure of Rugao was everything a modern city could look for, not a small, tired, rundown 3rd tier city away from the futuristic coastal cities. I managed to sneak away into the villages and along the way the sight was of newly built farmers' homes, built just behind the small living quarters of the past. The few remnants of the past that were still standing have been rebuilt and served the owners in their bigger homes as storerooms or garages.
The only pieces of the past left in Rugao were the mansion of Mo Biqiang and Dong Xiaowan and a well preserved patched of low ancient houses right in the heart of the city. These houses still served as living quarters to some residents and small commercial enterprises. The mansion and the houses were some 400 years old and stood there to remind the people of the way of life of their forebears.
What really impressed me was the sight of the people of Rugao. The people were pretty well off, well heeled, living in good quality homes and looking very contented with their lives. The children, the youth and the young were a pleasant surprise. They were all at the stadium during the Opening Ceremony for the Asian Masters. Some were there to perform, some were there as spectators to this international events. And the unpredictable happened, the sky opened up, and everyone was wet. But the youth and children came well prepared, with a thin transparent raincoat over their costumes and their latest trendy wear.
The rain did not dampen their free spirit. They ran, but to the stadium, not away. They were there to celebrate a big international event, to welcome the visitors to their home town. What was written all over their faces was a future of hope, confidence and well being. Their innocence, their free spirit, their laughter, there was not a hint of fear or uncertainties in them, as they celebrated life. For over 200 years, the children of China had never slept well or eaten well. (两百多年,中国儿女,没有一天睡的好,吃的饱). The youth then never knew what was growing up like as children. They did not have that luxury. Those days are history, not to happen again. The faces of the Rugao children today are the faces of joy, of a happy young people living for now and for a better tomorrow as young people should.
China today has reached a point where the people could live life, enjoy peace and be themselves without a worry. Such a privilege only comes about when the country is strong and prosperous and well managed. It is like the saying, 国强民安. The children and youth of Rugao are a manifestation of the children and youth of China today, living in a time when security and prosperity are a new normal. To live a happy and cheerful life of plenty, being young and enjoying growing up as children and young adults (无忧无愁) shielded from the vagaries of life, with a bright and secure future that a strong and prosperous China has bestowed upon them. The children and youth of Rugao and all over China are the new China, a people blessed to live a life never the same as the parents and grand parents of old China. This is the new China and the China Dream.
Below are some pictures of the children of Rugao.
14 comments:
In PRC Rugao is 国强民安 or Country Strong & Peaceful, in contrast Sinkieland is 党强民不安 or PApies Strong but people not peaceful cos everyday need to compete with outsiders aka FT for mouth to feed..but 70% still voted for them ..Stupidity is no cure or 国民愚蠢, whole world really can't understand the red dot..
//A city famous for having the most centenarians alive in China.//
Zhao An 詔安,my ancestral homeland ,a county in Hokkien is known as 長壽之鄉，besides having title of 書法之鄉 and 青梅之鄉。We are hardworking ,talented but humble..:-) to
Those who want to live more than 100 years old can consider to stay there.
PAP's leaders, after screwing up Donald Trump by siding with Obama and banging on the corrupted Hillary Clinton to become President, had to bring $19 billion taxpayers' money to Washington DC to kowtow to Donald Trump and help him "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" by providing 70,000 jobs for Americans for the next 10 years. And came back home empty handed. Not only that. Donald Trump played PAP out by withdrawing Broadcom depriving Singaporeans of $24 billion revenue annually.
Before that, PAP leaders went to China and offered backside to be screwed and also came back empty-handed.
These two supper powers leaders already know PAP leaders cannot be trusted. Even own siblings have no confidence in PAP leadership.
How can the world be able to trust them? Only daft Sinkies are too daft to wake up!
How can the world be able to trust them?
Only daft Sinkies are too daft to wake up!
November 05, 2017 9:33 am
-------------------
CEO Desmond Kuek backstabs: 6 SMRT staff fired for owning up during “amnesty period”
https://statestimesreview.com/2017/11/05/ceo-desmond-kuek-backstabs-6-smrt-staff-fired-for-owning-up-during-amnesty-period/
----------------------------------------
What do you think?
Many clamour for merger of opposition parties; for an immediate alternative to the PAP. Singapore has an unique political climate.
The over domineering ruling party has their hands into every lever that controls the government, economy, electoral processes, publicly-funded community outreach, media, the unions and more.
They have the means to tear apart any opponent that grows too strong.
Any disunity within an alternative party will be quickly picked upon and magnified until the party gets destroyed.
Any mis-step will be hounded upon, audited until the death of it, and attacked from every possible angle.
https://www.facebook.com/yeejj.wp/posts/1551543894913379
https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2017/11/04/leadership-succession-of-workers-party-not-a-surprise-only-a-question-of-when/
/// And just as when train commuters thought things could not get any worse for the MRT, they got frighteningly awry. We learnt that the staff in charge of the pump system which failed to work at the Bishan tunnel may have falsified documents by signing off on work that they had not done! ///
http://www.theindependent.sg/thank-you-low-thia-khiang-no-thanks-singapores-transport-mess-uppers/
------------------
So what is the difference between this SMRT incident
versus
The Singapore culture of rubber stamping approvals (own self check own self)?
9:33am
LTK offered to step down WP was far sighted. Pap has blocked US s trust betting on Hillary. Report in fox news said this woman unfairly put credits to her candidacy from DNC to win over Sanders.
If Hillary is charged as Trump pressed on, Pap s fully bet on Hillary as president will be in bad light.
LTK has probably known Sinkieland will have declining wealth distribution where poor are getting worst while rich are clinging on similar to those politicians earning millions dollars guaranteed. China has done away with GDP but set target on eliminating poverty by 2020 ie 24 months away.
Can sinkieland afford more expensive China foods products: canned foods, rice, noodles, clothings, etc.
No opposition can do much. LTK is wiser. He has aged and hopefully he will not meddle from background. Its WP young generations world and problem. Leave it to their generations to sink or float.
On Pap side, there is no sight of the old who have gotten millions dollars of wealth to secure future 3 to 4 generations no need to work life style, still cling on to powerful positions. The younger Pap are like boys waiting for orders. When the old ones die of strokes or cancer, they then are said to pass the baton to the young. By then, things are more expensive from China, salary are still curbed and not raising by the old s issuing of employment passes and PR.
The next 5 years will see some old dies of illness on the seats which they cling on and on as if they are younger. The poor will die with less money on cpf and short of good paying jobs for them to earn to survive. The hourly rate still pay $7 dollars after so many years. Voters should see the Pap s manipulations and vote for WP. Or they will die without much money left for their children to buy china rice. Pap s old hacks deserve what they get: die on the seats while burying the poor sinkies with them.
Pap however, will create many millionaires in chennie and tamil nadu, takeing away 100% cpf baleh kampong. That help modi to counter china s xi strategy to eliminate poverty.
LTK's decision to step down is the right timing. He has already done a lot for his party and for Singaporeans. It looks like he has reached his maximum potential as a political leader in the Opposition Camp. His setback is his unwillingness to unite with other Opposition political parties. He seems too proud to be able to cooperate with other Opposition parties' leadership.
Dun understand why many still think LTK decision is the right move.
Dun understand why many still think LTK decision is the right move.
November 05, 2017 10:16 pm
Unlike you, LTK knows when it is time to go.
Do you think LKY knew when was a good time to go?
LTK beat George Yeo & PAP in Aljunied.
Among opposition leaders no one come close. Period!!!
To win you must field highest quality to beat PAP.
LTK is the wisest strategist among all opposition leaders.
If LTK merged with CSJ, WP would have been done.
WP has steadily built up an impressive passionate high quality, diligent, sacrificial younger team. The momentum will come if PAP keep screwing the people and take millions dollars pay with sub-standard performance.
If it is really, really painful enough for 60% of voters, PAP dominance will fall.
Almost all people look at self-interests in voting. When self-interests are taken away & real pain comes in for the majority, things will change regardless of constant propaganda in an opened city like Spore. With current crop of wayang leaders the writings are all over the wall.
Just a little patience.
You cannot hidden screw-ups & incompetence & dishonesty for long.
Without the Bishan Flooding Episode, they would not discovered the Sleeping skiving employees who are Gaji Buta.
Wah, some as long as twenty over years.
Follow the Silver Serpents like the Customs & Excise Department.
Staff are rotated every now and then. They have various divisions.
Firstly, New team took over, they will have fresh ideas to better the scope of duties.
Secondly, any hidden inconsistencies by the past team will be exposed.
Thirdly, too long in same place breeds incompetence and also too familiarise with the Public breeds Corruption.
The SMRT Engineers must be also rotated so that the above will be minimised.
Post a Comment