Very well written, Pallavi. My wife and I visited Beijing in 1995. The country was already showing signs of huge changes following the Mao era. Still, there were hardly any private cars (or any cars for the matter) on the street. A tsunami of bicycles occupied the wide avenues of the city. The Mao suits were gone, though, and you could rarely see people in traditional Chinese attire. An amusing aspect of shopping in the newly arisen department stores were young Chinese women stationed at every line of clothing wearing the outfit on the racks. Billing was still by hand and full of to-ing and fro-ing before you got your purchase. Absolutely loved our visit to China, but haven't been back since. From what I see and hear, the changes are huge.
Hello Pallavi, I have read both your China and Japan books. Lovely. As you said, shades of grey, smokes and mirors, oxymorons etc., while referring to China. These bother not just India but the whole world who struggle to make meaning or read into their "signals". Look, you should have told this Chinese scholar, We are tired! come to the point, and tell what exactly you want? They are yet to explain why they did Galwan and Doklam to break the long peace we had on Border for 25 years. This question does not figure in your list of 10? Tell him that our generation (of Swami and Geetanjali) have put the ghost of 1962 behind, after Nathu La, Sumdorang Chu and the latest standoff where we stood our ground. Ask them why, once the East for West swap was proposed by them (not by us), they still needle India by showing AP as South Tibet in their maps and claims. Smokes and Mirors all the way. Nothing changed..
Congratulations - very exciting news for you and your family! I look forward to reading about how you find China now.
Congratulations on the move pallavi! I loved reading smokes and mirrors and would be eagerly looking forward to a part 2!
There is a social network where Indians and Chinese talk to each other these days: Xiaohongshu.
Excellent initiative. Look forward to learning more from this unique and timely project.
Very well written, Pallavi. My wife and I visited Beijing in 1995. The country was already showing signs of huge changes following the Mao era. Still, there were hardly any private cars (or any cars for the matter) on the street. A tsunami of bicycles occupied the wide avenues of the city. The Mao suits were gone, though, and you could rarely see people in traditional Chinese attire. An amusing aspect of shopping in the newly arisen department stores were young Chinese women stationed at every line of clothing wearing the outfit on the racks. Billing was still by hand and full of to-ing and fro-ing before you got your purchase. Absolutely loved our visit to China, but haven't been back since. From what I see and hear, the changes are huge.
Hello Pallavi, I have read both your China and Japan books. Lovely. As you said, shades of grey, smokes and mirors, oxymorons etc., while referring to China. These bother not just India but the whole world who struggle to make meaning or read into their "signals". Look, you should have told this Chinese scholar, We are tired! come to the point, and tell what exactly you want? They are yet to explain why they did Galwan and Doklam to break the long peace we had on Border for 25 years. This question does not figure in your list of 10? Tell him that our generation (of Swami and Geetanjali) have put the ghost of 1962 behind, after Nathu La, Sumdorang Chu and the latest standoff where we stood our ground. Ask them why, once the East for West swap was proposed by them (not by us), they still needle India by showing AP as South Tibet in their maps and claims. Smokes and Mirors all the way. Nothing changed..