The China Thread

In My Humble Opinion
41

So, a more mundane query- what’s a dame to do in Chengdu while waiting for the plane to Tibet?

(I was suppose to go through via Kathmandu but that darn Maoist uprising :wink: )

42

There’s a panda preserve a ways outside of Chengdu. The Traffic Hotel, just up the street from the bus station from the south side of town (if my memory serves) has cheap massage and acupuncture treatments. It’s also a hub for backpackers, so there’s lots of tourist type stuff that can be organized through the hotel and the attached travel agency.

43

This thread is very interesting! My questions are:

  1. I’ve read accounts in newspapers that China’s “one child” policy and the strong preference for boys has led to an imbalance in the number of marriageable Chinese females. In some accounts, it’s been estimated that in about 10 years, there will be about 10-20 million young Chinese men who can’t find a wife. Is this being discussed in China? If so, what is officially being done about it?

  2. Are the Chinese people aware of the fact that many Americans feel they are stealing jobs from the U.S.? Personally, I don’t think so, but there is that mindset.

44

There is an ongoing PR campaign encouraging families to keep and nurture their daughters. I’ve also heard that some areas have relaxed laws about marrying first cousins, but it’s already a buyers’ market for young ladies right now.

I don’t think they’re aware of the issue, nor do they give a toot about it. I imagine if you asked a Chinese about the matter, he’d retort, “If the US doesn’t like it, why don’t they do something to keep the jobs there?”

45

How much time do you have? You can always visit the giant Mao stature in front of the exhibition hall. If you go there, look out at all of the new buildings opposite on the T intersection. It was all burned to the ground during June 4.

Every park has a teahouse that is a good place to chill. They pour tea with really long stemed teaposts.

Wenshuyuan temple has the absolutely best vegetarian “fish” on the planet. But if you’re going to Tibet, probably don’t want to see Chinese buddhist temples unless you want one for comparison. The zoo is worth a visit for the Giant Pandas and Red or Lesser Pandas. There is also a Chinese (not Tibetan) Gelupa monastary at the zoo that you could check out.

I can dig up more stuff but how long will you be there? If you’ve got more time, then Qingchengshan (green azure mountain), which is a taoist mountain. Skip the dujiang waterworks.

Let me know what you like and how much time you’ve got and I’ll toss out my two cents. Keep in mind I haven’t been there since 1989