tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post9063864884350946140..comments2024-03-26T23:41:10.319+00:00Comments on Authors Electric: I’ve seen the future, and I don’t like it very much – Elizabeth KayKatherine Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-22463022394041075682015-11-19T08:47:47.886+00:002015-11-19T08:47:47.886+00:00I was with Liz on this trip. Here's my extra t...I was with Liz on this trip. Here's my extra two penn'orth: The Chinese people were very polite. Almost the only Chinese phrase I managed to learn was the one for "thank you", and there were plenty of opportunities to use it. <br />They also seem to still be proud of their large population, despite the attempts to curb its growth. One of our local guides described Xi'an (population 10 million) as a small city by Chinese standards. When she heard that we came from a town with a population of about 10 thousand, she clearly thought this was pitiful - while politely trying not to show it! <br />Apart from where we came from, the question we were asked most often was how old we were. Perhaps they find it hard to judge the age of non-Chinese. <br />The part of Liz's post I'd like to reinforce is the one about the People's Parks. If we in Britain were to start using our public parks in the same way, it would be a massive social change, and hugely beneficial, particularly for the elderly.Bob Newmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03421070157549422261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-47184477132447182002015-11-19T08:02:04.053+00:002015-11-19T08:02:04.053+00:00Thank you all for your lovely comments regarding m...Thank you all for your lovely comments regarding my post. Brazil next year, with any luck!Elizabeth Kayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16773078844943829786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-10435818609563461382015-11-18T21:46:53.450+00:002015-11-18T21:46:53.450+00:00Fascinating and terrifying. And Debbie - have you ...Fascinating and terrifying. And Debbie - have you read DRAGONCAT? I did the research for it in a small Chinese supermarket in North London via my very close, Chinese-speaking, Malaysian artist friend, Mei-Yim Low (and there was, indeed, a cat).Enid Richemonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17218197995089241666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-75281334878422279722015-11-17T22:41:27.583+00:002015-11-17T22:41:27.583+00:00Thank you for giving us this vivid tour with so ma...Thank you for giving us this vivid tour with so many meaningful take-aways to contemplate. I see that there have been many changes since my trips to China in the 1980s and 1990s, mostly along the lines already visible then. Westerners have looked at China as a modernized but nevertheless exotic and ancient exotic civilization. You're insightful post makes us look at China as the world's future as well.Umberto Tosihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04939504157464234443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-47715013315943417692015-11-17T17:57:39.968+00:002015-11-17T17:57:39.968+00:00I'm 1/4 Cantonese. Only been to Hong Kong once...I'm 1/4 Cantonese. Only been to Hong Kong once - and taken the Star Ferry to Kowloon. I'd love to see more and maybe find out about my grandfather's (apparently very wealthy) family. So China has always held a huge air of mystery for me. One day when I retire, maybe!Debbie Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761474820689143835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-76599704534397719512015-11-17T12:39:44.715+00:002015-11-17T12:39:44.715+00:00Those mountains look beautiful! Whenever I think o...Those mountains look beautiful! Whenever I think of China, I think of films like 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'... but it sounds as if the modern cities are very different from the countryside? I find that one-child policy interesting. It must really change the culture if there's a whole generation (or two?) with no brothers or sisters.Katherine Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-40588621956410281872015-11-17T11:30:30.235+00:002015-11-17T11:30:30.235+00:00Great blog, Elizabeth - vivid, perceptive and wise...Great blog, Elizabeth - vivid, perceptive and wise. I'm pessimistic enough to think that, the way we're going, our children,their children - and theirs as well - may be lucky to get a future as good as even that disturbing vision. At least the rulers show some care for the ruled, whatever we may think of the result. On present form, will ours?<br />Dennis Hamleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781139870037634374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-17533235105629362352015-11-17T11:00:34.157+00:002015-11-17T11:00:34.157+00:00I don't like the sound of it either, Elizabeth...I don't like the sound of it either, Elizabeth - but what a powerful post!Susan Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738737493756183909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-44287359728562135332015-11-17T10:30:19.055+00:002015-11-17T10:30:19.055+00:00Thanks for this post. China has never been a count...Thanks for this post. China has never been a country that attracted me much, so it's useful to hear the good things about their society - as well as the less-good facts about deforestation hidden from tourists elsewhere.Penny Dolanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16386668303428008498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-19592408310041332612015-11-17T10:07:47.631+00:002015-11-17T10:07:47.631+00:00fascinating. thank you.fascinating. thank you.Jan Needlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823078224282953782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-76624489813343445162015-11-17T09:54:28.092+00:002015-11-17T09:54:28.092+00:00What a great post, Elizabeth - clear, interesting,...What a great post, Elizabeth - clear, interesting, conveying so much information, posing such profound questions. You've illuminated many of the preconceptions one has about China and set up contradictions which might not have otherwise occurred to dummies such as me. Thanks for the enlightenment.Bill Kirtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16345949773423764808noreply@blogger.com