Comments on: First Impressions of Shanghai http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/ learning Chinese, teaching English, trying to understand more Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:13:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: First Impressions of Beijing | Doubting to shuo: Chinese, Investing, EFL and Being a Geek in Taiwan http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/comment-page-1/#comment-2023 First Impressions of Beijing | Doubting to shuo: Chinese, Investing, EFL and Being a Geek in Taiwan Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:36:23 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/#comment-2023 [...] Posts: First Impressions of Shanghai, Loving Beijing, Seeing Beijing with Brendan Tags: Beijing, Observations, Táibĕi, travel, [...] [...] Posts: First Impressions of Shanghai, Loving Beijing, Seeing Beijing with Brendan Tags: Beijing, Observations, Táibĕi, travel, [...]

]]> By: Greg http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/comment-page-1/#comment-2022 Greg Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:22:03 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/#comment-2022 Shanghai people in general is indifferent to politics. But they would not miss any chance of doing business. Quite some Shanghai young girls would place ads on foreign newspapers looking for old wealthy man to marry with (I have seen ads specifically mentioning they are looking for wealthy man over 80 years old). I guess they are betting their fortunes on the quick death of their husband. In fact, many Shanghai people would treat foreigners better than their own countryman as long as those foreigners are richer than they are. On the other hand, Shanghai people are more open to the external world and they have great business sense. They work hard, focusing on any financial gain they can get. So usually they are very good business man. The disadvantage is that their tolerance of “short term loss" is very low so sometimes they refuse to invest in anything that has high risks. Shanghai people in general is indifferent to politics. But they would not miss any chance of doing business. Quite some Shanghai young girls would place ads on foreign newspapers looking for old wealthy man to marry with (I have seen ads specifically mentioning they are looking for wealthy man over 80 years old). I guess they are betting their fortunes on the quick death of their husband. In fact, many Shanghai people would treat foreigners better than their own countryman as long as those foreigners are richer than they are.

On the other hand, Shanghai people are more open to the external world and they have great business sense. They work hard, focusing on any financial gain they can get. So usually they are very good business man. The disadvantage is that their tolerance of “short term loss” is very low so sometimes they refuse to invest in anything that has high risks.

]]> By: The Commutants | Sinosplice: Life in China http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/comment-page-1/#comment-2021 The Commutants | Sinosplice: Life in China Thu, 24 Aug 2006 04:25:04 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/#comment-2021 [...] The Shanghai Metro (subway) commuters are infamous for their “enthusiasm.” The subway philosophy of 先下后上 (let people off first, then board) is blasted repeatedly during rush hour by station attendants each and every day, but it always falls on deaf ears as the hoarde surges to board the subway cars the split second the doors open, forcing the passengers who wish to disembark to shove and claw their ways through the subway doorway battlefield. It really is insane, and it shocks most newcomers to Shanghai. [...] [...] The Shanghai Metro (subway) commuters are infamous for their “enthusiasm.” The subway philosophy of 先下后上 (let people off first, then board) is blasted repeatedly during rush hour by station attendants each and every day, but it always falls on deaf ears as the hoarde surges to board the subway cars the split second the doors open, forcing the passengers who wish to disembark to shove and claw their ways through the subway doorway battlefield. It really is insane, and it shocks most newcomers to Shanghai. [...]

]]> By: Jason S http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/comment-page-1/#comment-2020 Jason S Sun, 13 Aug 2006 02:25:14 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/#comment-2020 About the name: Haha, I've been reading your blog for a long time and never read the word "doubting" as the English word. I thought it was variation the Chinese...woah. Anyway, I agree with a lot of what you said about Shanghai. On a superficial level, not much politics, especially compared to Beijing. About the name:
Haha, I’ve been reading your blog for a long time and never read the word “doubting” as the English word. I thought it was variation the Chinese…woah.
Anyway, I agree with a lot of what you said about Shanghai. On a superficial level, not much politics, especially compared to Beijing.

]]> By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/comment-page-1/#comment-2019 Mark Thu, 10 Aug 2006 18:32:26 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/#comment-2019 John B, I guess I got that impression from the way people talked and what they talked about. A lot of times when I meet Taiwanese people, they'll talk about politics (esp. cab drivers), news, or something like that. Probably due to my job, a lot also talk about the public education system and cultural issues. I also met quite a few <a href=http://toshuo.com/2006/musician-bartender-tour-guide/ rel="nofollow">people in Beijing who were interested in politics, education, and cultural issues</a>. Shanghaiers I met didn't seem interested in politics, public education or cultural issues unless they were directly related to their job prospects (i.e., how to improve their English test scores). Instead, people I met talked to me about business. Even a lot of the foreigners I met in Shanghai seemed to have very little interest in history, literature, the humanities, or the arts. I was only in Shanghai for a week, though, so don't put too much stock in what I thought. It was just my first impression. John B,

I guess I got that impression from the way people talked and what they talked about. A lot of times when I meet Taiwanese people, they’ll talk about politics (esp. cab drivers), news, or something like that. Probably due to my job, a lot also talk about the public education system and cultural issues. I also met quite a few people in Beijing who were interested in politics, education, and cultural issues.

Shanghaiers I met didn’t seem interested in politics, public education or cultural issues unless they were directly related to their job prospects (i.e., how to improve their English test scores). Instead, people I met talked to me about business. Even a lot of the foreigners I met in Shanghai seemed to have very little interest in history, literature, the humanities, or the arts.

I was only in Shanghai for a week, though, so don’t put too much stock in what I thought. It was just my first impression.

]]> By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/comment-page-1/#comment-2018 Mark Thu, 10 Aug 2006 18:19:25 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/#comment-2018 v, the <a href="http://toshuo.com/2005/about-the-name/" rel="nofollow">very first post</a> I wrote on this blog has the answers to your questions. v, the very first post I wrote on this blog has the answers to your questions.

]]> By: v http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/comment-page-1/#comment-2017 v Thu, 10 Aug 2006 17:24:24 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/#comment-2017 Sorry, this is off topic, but I was just wondering why you chose the title "Doubting to shuo" for your blog. Beyond the literal 'doubting to speak', which is sort of weird, can the title be split up: dou b ting to shuo as in 'dou ting bu dong, dao xian zai hui shuo wei zhi'. I'm probably reading to much into this. neng bu neng jie shi yi xia. duo xie :) Sorry, this is off topic, but I was just wondering why you chose the title “Doubting to shuo” for your blog. Beyond the literal ‘doubting to speak’, which is sort of weird, can the title be split up: dou b ting to shuo as in ‘dou ting bu dong, dao xian zai hui shuo wei zhi’. I’m probably reading to much into this. neng bu neng jie shi yi xia. duo xie :)

]]> By: John B http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/comment-page-1/#comment-2016 John B Thu, 10 Aug 2006 00:58:51 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/first-impressions-of-shanghai/#comment-2016 > All in all, the people I met in Shanghai were fairly friendly, albeit focused on money. I'm curious in what ways you felt they were focused on money. I've heard this observation from many people about Shanghainese, but I haven't really seen it myself, at least not as a general trait. One of my favorite games in the subway is "knock the holy shit out of the first guy coming through the door." Especially when it's a big guy that's expecting nobody to even attempt to resist. Most Chinese are shorter than I am, so they've got some center of gravity advantage, but mostly they're not prepared for someone willing to fight back. :) > All in all, the people I met in Shanghai were fairly friendly, albeit focused on money.

I’m curious in what ways you felt they were focused on money. I’ve heard this observation from many people about Shanghainese, but I haven’t really seen it myself, at least not as a general trait.

One of my favorite games in the subway is “knock the holy shit out of the first guy coming through the door.” Especially when it’s a big guy that’s expecting nobody to even attempt to resist. Most Chinese are shorter than I am, so they’ve got some center of gravity advantage, but mostly they’re not prepared for someone willing to fight back. :)

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