| Original Message: Changing times in China |
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Hi Floor, You certainly captured the essence of what was originally called "The Dirt Market." I first started going to this market in 1999. Today it is better known as The Panjiayuan Market. But only ten years ago it had a dirt floor and streets of dank, ramshackle shops. The vendors would cluster around me, pulling on my clothes, begging me to look at things they would pull out of their pockets—like they do in Haiti. Very frightening. Today, the sellers are blasé, unimpressed. The "Dirt Market" is now beautifully paved with elegant shopping arcades -not shown in your photos- with nearly authentic but stylized architecture. It is also possible to have an Upper Class Chinese experience elsewhere, of course, by restricting yourself to the huge selection of five star restaurants, hotels and posh shopping malls. Many of the employees of these big city venues are illegal immigrants from the villages. The cities limit the number of outsiders from the mainland. Chinese often ignore these quotas-as in America- in order to get cheap subservient labor. They often employ villagers from distant places at ten dollars for a twelve hour workday, seven days a week. Thus, these middle class businessmen can well afford to pay well when they go shopping. And the large selection while shopping is one of the best advantages in China today. Those of us who are not familiar with bargaining in China, can actually get better prices on Chinese merchandise in Tucson, the Gem and Mineral Shows, Gift Shows, and Antique shows in America! To replace their antiques, Chinese are overwhelming the American auction houses today. China is changing quickly like America did in the fifties. And I have a great deal of respect for the Chinese. You may enjoy viewing this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPeXpGrO8wE All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users |
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