northern?southern china differences
ok< so i am on a random internet terminal at an english style pub in suzhou< just an hour outside of shanghai and the keyboard is a little wacky> anyway< here are some observations about differences in the regions:
northern is more cosmopolitan and more international> think of the united states and the north vs> the south< as there are some similarities> north is economic engine on global scale with beijing and shanghai >>>> tall skyscrapers >>>> int"l headquarters for many huge corporations >>> higher incomes and salaries >>>> more international flavor>
in the south (SORRY THE PERIOD KEY DOES NOT WORK AND SOMETIMES IT SWITCHES TO ALL CAPS ALL ON ITS OWN AND I AM TIRED OF SWITCHING IT BACK, SO SORRY BUT I AM NOT YELLING) THE FOCUS IS MORE ON CHINESE CULTURE AND LOCAL HISTORY AS WELL AS CHINESE HISTORY. THEY ARE MORE CHINESE SUPERSTITIOUS, SUCH AS NO BUILDINGS HAVE A FOUR IN THEIR FLOORS .... SO NO FOURTH FLOOR ON THE ELEVATOR .... NO 14TH FLOOR .... NO 24TH FLOOR .... AS THE NUMBER 4 IS CLOSE SOUNDING TO THEIR WORD FOR DEATH SO THEY BELIEVE IT IS BAD LUCK (KINDA LIKE THE UNITED STATES AND 13)> in fact< i stayed on the thirteenth floor during this trip!
THE SOUTH IS LESS DEVELOPED AND THINGS AREN'T AS REFINED .... A FOUR STAR HOTEL IN THE SOUTH IS MORE LIKELY TO BE A THREE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, COSTS ARE WAY CHEAP ... I GAVE A GUY 10 YUAN FOR A BOTTLE OF WATER AND A BOTTLE OF ORANGE JUICE (ABOUT $1.15) and he handed back a stack of bills as change> i swear i got more money back than what i paid>
also< china is trying to make shanghai the new hong kong >>>> so hong kong will now never have the tallest building in the world or china< as the chinese govnt wants the tallest buildings to be in shanghai instead so it rejects all proposals for taller buildings in hk.
IN THE SOUTH, IT'S CANTONESE WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE A NEW DIALECT AND SLIGHT DIFFERENCES IN FOOD ... THEY ARE FAMOUS FOR WONTON NOODLE SOUP AND I WILL CONFIRM THAT IT IS INDEED FABULOUS. THE ONLY OTHER THING I NOTICED THAT WAS DIFF. WITH THE FOOD WAS THEY USE PUMPKIN IN DISHES MORE IN THE SOUTH.
WHEN WE WENT UP NORTH TAKA ASKED OUR NEW TOURGUIDE EDDIE FOR HIS FAVORITE DISH -- PORK BELLY. EDDIE INSISTED THEY HAD NOTHING OF THE KIND ... TAKA EVEN DREW A PICTURE OF IT! INSTEAD EDDIE WENT ON AND ON ABOUT A DISH COMPLETELY AUTHENTIC AND NATIVE TO THE NORTHERN CHINESE AND ORDERED IT FOR TAKA ..... NATURALLY IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE EXACT SAME DISH WITH ANOTHER NAME. TO THIS DAY EDDIE REFUSES TO BELIEVE US WHEN WE TELL HIM WE'VE HAD IT IN JUST ABOUT EVERY RESTAURANT FROM TAPEI TO KENTING TO SHENZEN. THERE IS EVEN A JADE CARVING OF IT IN A FAMOUS TAIWAN MUSEUM!
northern is more cosmopolitan and more international> think of the united states and the north vs> the south< as there are some similarities> north is economic engine on global scale with beijing and shanghai >>>> tall skyscrapers >>>> int"l headquarters for many huge corporations >>> higher incomes and salaries >>>> more international flavor>
in the south (SORRY THE PERIOD KEY DOES NOT WORK AND SOMETIMES IT SWITCHES TO ALL CAPS ALL ON ITS OWN AND I AM TIRED OF SWITCHING IT BACK, SO SORRY BUT I AM NOT YELLING) THE FOCUS IS MORE ON CHINESE CULTURE AND LOCAL HISTORY AS WELL AS CHINESE HISTORY. THEY ARE MORE CHINESE SUPERSTITIOUS, SUCH AS NO BUILDINGS HAVE A FOUR IN THEIR FLOORS .... SO NO FOURTH FLOOR ON THE ELEVATOR .... NO 14TH FLOOR .... NO 24TH FLOOR .... AS THE NUMBER 4 IS CLOSE SOUNDING TO THEIR WORD FOR DEATH SO THEY BELIEVE IT IS BAD LUCK (KINDA LIKE THE UNITED STATES AND 13)> in fact< i stayed on the thirteenth floor during this trip!
THE SOUTH IS LESS DEVELOPED AND THINGS AREN'T AS REFINED .... A FOUR STAR HOTEL IN THE SOUTH IS MORE LIKELY TO BE A THREE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, COSTS ARE WAY CHEAP ... I GAVE A GUY 10 YUAN FOR A BOTTLE OF WATER AND A BOTTLE OF ORANGE JUICE (ABOUT $1.15) and he handed back a stack of bills as change> i swear i got more money back than what i paid>
also< china is trying to make shanghai the new hong kong >>>> so hong kong will now never have the tallest building in the world or china< as the chinese govnt wants the tallest buildings to be in shanghai instead so it rejects all proposals for taller buildings in hk.
IN THE SOUTH, IT'S CANTONESE WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE A NEW DIALECT AND SLIGHT DIFFERENCES IN FOOD ... THEY ARE FAMOUS FOR WONTON NOODLE SOUP AND I WILL CONFIRM THAT IT IS INDEED FABULOUS. THE ONLY OTHER THING I NOTICED THAT WAS DIFF. WITH THE FOOD WAS THEY USE PUMPKIN IN DISHES MORE IN THE SOUTH.
WHEN WE WENT UP NORTH TAKA ASKED OUR NEW TOURGUIDE EDDIE FOR HIS FAVORITE DISH -- PORK BELLY. EDDIE INSISTED THEY HAD NOTHING OF THE KIND ... TAKA EVEN DREW A PICTURE OF IT! INSTEAD EDDIE WENT ON AND ON ABOUT A DISH COMPLETELY AUTHENTIC AND NATIVE TO THE NORTHERN CHINESE AND ORDERED IT FOR TAKA ..... NATURALLY IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE EXACT SAME DISH WITH ANOTHER NAME. TO THIS DAY EDDIE REFUSES TO BELIEVE US WHEN WE TELL HIM WE'VE HAD IT IN JUST ABOUT EVERY RESTAURANT FROM TAPEI TO KENTING TO SHENZEN. THERE IS EVEN A JADE CARVING OF IT IN A FAMOUS TAIWAN MUSEUM!
posted by christine at 5:26 AM
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