Scars of the City

[jia liu]

I saw some topics about weird things in china and that ignited my thinking. Although a chinese, peeing at public places is *impresive* for me. But i think there are more *impressive* things. I mean the beggars.

You can see beggars everywhere you go. If i don’t help a old/young woeful woman/man on the street staring at me, i feel bad or guilty. but if i give some money to everyone of them, i will become one of them!

Scars of the city, they make my heart ache.

[Charlie]

I’m not sure where you’re located, but beggars are pretty uncommon in Chengdu. I’m not sure what the reason for this is, but there are many more in a lot of the other major cities I’ve been to in China (Chongqing, Beijing, etc). Even first world countries have more beggars than Chengdu, I was surprised to find them all over the place in downtown Seattle and Portland in the US this summer.

Every once and a while I’ll walk by a street musician in Chengdu playing a traditional Chinese instrument. I will always give money to those guys. However, someone young and able looking begging isn’t something that I’ll normally contribute to out of concern that I’m promoting a lifestyle of asking for handouts rather than contributing something to the world. The key to begging, in my opinion, is being able to contribute something in exchange for the money that you’re asking for. It can be music, art, a joke or small trick, etc. That’s what I’ve found, at least.

[Yan]

I donate 2% of my paycheck to United Way everyweek and just worte a check for school tax last month. Wish they do more for those chinese people.

[jia liu]

@Charlie I am in ChengDu now. Acctually I have not been to many cities in China. just several. When i say “city”, i means the whole, not one. I agree with you for “The key to begging, in my opinion, is being able to contribute something in exchange for the money that you’re asking for.” but still cann’t release myself easily.

@Yan I think you are very kind person.

I am very intrested in ” how do expats thinking about chinese”. Because a different view always tell you something that’s invisible for yourself(它山之石，可以攻玉). When i know some flaws, i feel face-lost. spating,peeing,cutting in line… it’s so embarassed to know those from a foreigner. But that *donn’t* make me sad. I know that it will take a long time for a peasant’s daughter to become a queen. What make me sad is some other serious things. the beggars, people’s indifference, lost of the soul. When you see the skin, you are embarassed. When you see the bone, you are sad.

[jia liu]

Maybe i am just worrying too much. China has so many people. There are also so many people that’s kind and wise. So, keep my hope.

[Yan]

I just wish they did more for their people, not just lending money to other countries, cause this is where they got money from.

[Alvin Smith]

Jia Liu,

As you told i was always moved by these beggars when i was young. And i would like to give them money. But i alwys saw some weird things. Such as one day i saw a beggar called another begger and asked how much did him/her got? Sometimes,i saw a person dressed up like a student and begged in front of train stations. And told us his/her purse was steal by a thief . So that she/he can’t go back to home. But she/he turned out to be a liar. So i will not feel sorrowful when i see a beggar now.

Alvin

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