THREE We were walking down – well, it could have been any street in Shanghai, really. Someone offered us a “lucky red envelope”, explaining to us that this envelope would bring us wealth. [ + ]
THREE
We were walking down – well, it could have been any street in Shanghai, really. Someone offered us a “lucky red envelope”, explaining to us that this envelope would bring us wealth. Inside, there was a red card, with the symbol of this year’s animal painted in golden brushstrokes.
My friend looked away, but I was curious and wanted one – two, in fact. I thought it would be a nice present to offer to someone like me, someone superstitious.
He said that he could sell us one envelope each. That would not be a problem. However, if it was just me buying, I could have one or three envelopes, five, even, if I wanted. But he wouldn’t sell me two, or four.
At the time, I didn’t understand the principle, which is in fact very simple: odd numbers are lucky. Chinese tradition dictates that material things should be given to others in odd-numbered quantities. Public holidays, too, last either one or three days. When venerating a statue or an image of an ancestor, you should bow three times, or five times, or once… Seven or nine times would be better still. After nine, though, the golden number is twelve – an even number.
A SHANGHAINESE DAY 3 Before going out again to play mah-jong or carrom with three other neighbours, under the pleasant shade of the plane trees, I fetch my grandson from school. His parents arrive shortly and we all eat together, and perhaps a neighbour drops by, too. [ + ]
A SHANGHAINESE DAY 3
Before going out again to play mah-jong or carrom with three other neighbours, under the pleasant shade of the plane trees, I fetch my grandson from school. His parents arrive shortly and we all eat together, and perhaps a neighbour drops by, too. I enjoy that very much, as the more of us there are, the better we eat. I don’t like anyone to be hungry, so I get the large table out, to accommodate all the little dishes I’ve prepared. Then it’s time to watch the sunset. We eat, smoke and chit-chat. Now, the golden time begins in Shanghai. My family will take an evening walk in the park, probably already in their pyjamas, because Shanghai is our home, and we don’t relate completely to the notions of private and public. We’ll go and listen to the new open-air karaoke singer that everyone is keen to see and enjoy. He grew up in a lilong that no longer exists. Finally, I’ll go to meet my dancing partner, but, before that, I shall buy my grandson a notebook from a friend who has been selling them on the street corner for the last two weeks. She sets out her merchandise between a guy selling LED kites and another guy selling colourful socks. Later, I’ll go to sleep; tomorrow is going to be a busy day. Let’s hope the temperatures hold up tomorrow.
[ - ]GUESS WHO IS RIDING THE BICYCLE Shanghai and China historically have an impressive record in terms of the number of citizens who ride bicycles. It is not by chance that the bestselling model of bicycle in the world is Chinese. [ + ]
GUESS WHO IS RIDING THE BICYCLE
Shanghai and China historically have an impressive record in terms of the number of citizens who ride bicycles. It is not by chance that the bestselling model of bicycle in the world is Chinese. Flying Pigeon one of the most popular vehicles sold anywhere.
The Chinese have always made great use of bicycles, and they are good at it. They use them as trucks, mobile shops (selling products ranging from gardening items to food), whole-family transport, and as a means of crossing the entire city on a daily basis.
In one particular lilong, I get to meet a man who used the pedal of his bike to set in motion a sharpener he had attached to the wheel in order to file and sharpen all kinds of kitchen utensils.
However, the Shanghainese are not in agreement on certain issues, such as:
– Using bicycle lights at night and/or cycle helmets.
– Riding straight, like a Western cyclist. It is hard to shake the feeling that riding in a straight line might actually be more dangerous than navigating the city streets in a more winding, haphazard way… perhaps there is a secret to this?
– Using hand signals to indicate you are about to turn. In this case, there is just one thing that matters: keeping your arms safe, and using your head, eyes and ears, as the rules of the road in this city are quite different…
And… doing any of the above will immediately mark you out as… a foreigner.
PYJAMAS AND SLIPPERS For the Shanghainese, there’s no distinction between public space and private space: the whole of the city is their home. However, with our Western eyes, we search for the boundary between public and private. [ + ]
PYJAMAS AND SLIPPERS
For the Shanghainese, there’s no distinction between public space and private space: the whole of the city is their home. However, with our Western eyes, we search for the boundary between public and private. It doesn’t exist: public is private, and vice versa.
But people are having to fight to keep alive many of the customs that make the Shanghainese so comfortable in this living space of theirs.
On my first day in Shanghai:
– Hey guys, have you seen that guy wearing blue striped pyjamas riding a moped?!
– Yeah, right.
Later:
– Oh! There’s another one, in the supermarket, look!
– Yeah, you’re right! Take a picture!
Later on still:
– Jammies and slippers are everywhere! People wear them when taking a nap outside their homes, taking their children to school, eating, shopping, driving, riding their bikes…