As millions of Chinese boarded their trains, buses and planes to get back to work after celebrating the commencement of the Chinese new year of the rat, many would have perhaps reflected back at the travails of their journey home to meet their families. Many, in fact could not make it home at all, a victim of mayhem in transportation as a result of the worst snow to hit China in over 50 years. Not positive press for China in the year of the rat - the year in which China will don the mantle of the Olympic host and bask in the glory of their achievements as the world gazes with awe and amazement.
While the bite of the snow still gnaws, it also encourages reflection on the state of the nation and the challenges it faces on the march to fulfill its ambition to become a moderately prosperous society (xiao kang shui ping, in Chinese). The plight of the near 200 million immigrant workers who faced the brunt of the frost is not the least of these. While fueling the improvement of the rural living conditions in countryside through remittances from the urban workplace, they continue to live a miserable existence in the cities. Subject to shady contracts, some times below legal wages, and little leave and social welfare, the workers provide the cheap labour at the country’s economic engines in its factories and construction sites. The relatively well healed urban dwellers often look at them with fear as the “haves” often look at the “have-nots”.
In spite of the harsh existence that this group ekes out, they are still responsible for bringing money to the otherwise impoverished countryside. The Chinese countryside was the first to prosper after the communal land was carved into smaller pieces and given to individual families for cultivation. However after the initial flush of improvement, the small farm sizes have failed to grow the incomes of the farmers, who are facing a mounting cost of living in terms of healthcare and children’s education facilities which the socialist state so far provided them at affordable levels. The Chinese government is paying special attention to this as evident in their development plan, embodied by the slogan of a “new countryside”.
While the rural residents learn to cope with these basic challenges, the urban folks face the rising real estate prices, making housing more and more inaccessible. The housing prices in 2007 rose as high as the buildings with the houses. Buying houses, is a new way of spending new money in China – just 15 years ago there were no houses to be bought, nor was there much money to buy anything. But now buying a house has become a de rigueur pre mating condition and the steadily rising price line is converting many young Chinese into fang nu (house slaves) as a result of having burdened themselves with frightening mortgages. The alternative is forced bachelorhood, if they couldn’t muster up the courage to take the loan (even if they did muster up the courage to ask the hand of the loved one in marriage!).
While the real estate was in the ascendance in the just concluded year of the pig, its flight paled into insignificance when compared to the 96.7% increase in the Shanghai composite index. For the 136 million Chinese who climbed onto the stock bandwagon, buying houses became a lot easier with this gift from the financial markets. However the many others who balked at what they saw as the irrational exuberance of the market, rued the fact that they did not have the courage to haul their hard earned savings to the nearest brokerage. However with the over 10% decline that the market has seen this year (over 40% decline from the dizzy heights of the peak in 2007) they are now congratulating themselves at their foresight.
While the issues confronting the Chinese are weighty, they have much to look forward to and bring back a cheer in the lives. Of course they will beam with pride when they will host the Olympics this year. In fact the pride is already on display as are the marvellous facilities, including the Bird’s Nest stadium and The Water Cube several months ahead of the schedule.
While the new apartments in the cities tax the bank accounts of the young Chinese who rush to acquire them, they offer distinctly improved living conditions from the old and cramped houses they inhabited earlier. The new owners are enjoying the modern acquisition and converting their homes into sanctuaries of comfort and privacy. The stores are brimming with goods to furnish the apartment and make it an exclusive abode, making its owners glow with pride.
The new middle class created as a result of entrepreneurship and well paying jobs from multinationals and Chinese companies bulging with corporate profits, are aspiring to a lifestyle of the Western elite. They visit bars, sip red wine, enjoy gourmet food, watch Hollywood films (including Ratatouille, dubbed into Chinese) and plan for holidays abroad. The chilling frost which heralded the year of the rat has done nothing to dampen the optimism and the enthusiasm of the urban Chinese who plan to continue the celebration into the year and many more to come. The year of the rat represents the start of a new cycle in the Chinese calendar – and perhaps for China too as it gets ready to stage the Olympics. Rat is believed to embody qualities of being quick witted, nimble and charming. “Rats” like to be in the thick of action, are sociable and are never late for a party – qualities which will undoubtedly be on display in Beijing during the Olympics.
