China 15 years ago

I remember arriving in 1984. The streets looked much like the stereotypical "communist" China that the Western press likes to portray to this day. The people were mostly dressed in green or blue, the streets were filled with bikes, and nothing was available for sale by cash...almost, as everything was sold by government allocation. Other than the Government guest house we were allowed to stay and eat at, there literally were few places a non-chinese could eat, EVEN WITH CASH as EVERYTHING was State Run.

Foreign currency was converted into FEC (foreign Exchange currency) that could only be used and accepted at the Guesthouses, tourist locations, and the Friendship stores. The prices were different for FEC use vs RMB use, and imported items such as TV's required FEC payment so some enterprising locals began black marketing the currency in exchange for luxury goods. Back then, a TV or refigerator was a great gift to present someone as most households didnt have one, heck many villages didnt.

Those who cannot understand how things were back then really should do some research into how state planned economies work. Taxi drivers would not take us anywhere as they got paid regardless of whether they drove or not. It was not until we gave them a government letter of introduction that they suddenly were motivated to take us anywhere we wanted.

By the 1990's, it became strangely less civilised and started to become a frontier where anything an everything can happen. While Shanghai has barely made it past that phase, many second tier cities (fiefdoms more or less) still retain much of the wilderness frontier feel.

well at least it was easier to buy genuine Marlboro cigs and Johnnie Walker back then!

Cool photo

I was amazed to read that foreigners were not allowed to use RMB. That would seem to require around-the-clock handlers or guides. And it seems extremely unlikely that a merchant would turn down legitimate money even if it came from a foreigner. Could it be that foreigners were just not allowed to change their currency themselves?

The whole country hasn't modernised, just a small part of it. Hopelessness has been supplanted by greed; a hungry, gnawing greed whose purpose has yet to unfold. So few people have convictions other than money, morals aside from business.

I remember using RMB when I was here in 1991 (as a visitor). We were also able to stock up pretty decently for our train journeys at the Beijing Friendship store. Not great . . but decently.

They haven't modernized the whole country in 15 years? C'mon, its only 1.3 billion people fer chrissake! What a bunch a pikers these Chinese are...

This alley could pass for any that exist in China today, even in SH or BJ once you get a few blocks away from the "miracle miles".