Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lifestyle
Economic liberalisation measures mean that the people of China today enjoy a
far more diverse array of lifestyles than at any other time in their history.
Young, ambitious Chinese are presented with a totally modern and sophistic-
ated set of urban living choices. Unlike the West, very few young Chinese are
idealists driven by anti-establishment goals, so the generation may appear
brash and materialistic. This mindset is not their fault, but a reflection of gov-
ernment policy to create - through propaganda and education - a generation
that is largely in agreement with its mandate.
Beyond ethnic differences, the big divide is between the city and the coun-
tryside. The culture of the big city - with its bars, white-collar jobs, desirable
schools, dynamism and opportunities - stands in marked contrast to rural Ch-
ina, where little may have changed in the past three decades.
