Robert Moses Would Love Beijing’s Shunyi
Were it not for Robert Moses, America probably still would have had suburbs in the modern sense. However, the idea of a rich city outskirt, and the ‘white flight’ that it spurred, certainly came about sooner because of the NY legend. When I went
out to Beijing’s upscale Shunyi suburb, it immediately flashed into my mind that this is a place Robert Moses would have loved.
Shunyi is as unlikely a place to find wealthy suburbs as there could be around Beijing. Out toward the airport, until recently it was mostly farmland and factories, where there was anything at all. Even now, driving out there you pass little villages as you pass the third and fourth ring roads, going out to, well, sort of nowhere. However, you soon realize that the east does not have the same barren feel of Beijing’s western ends.
Once you get there, huge sprawling gated complexes spread out across the land. While in Beijing 150 square meters is considered a palatial apartment, Shunyi boasts houses three stories high of at least 500 square meters, and often quite a bit more. The kitchens have new ovens and islands in the middle, the living rooms are modern with high ceilings, and the staircases wind around with beautiful dark wood.
The road that heads out away from city would make Mr. Moses, a man credited with ‘building’ most of the bridges and highways that dot the modern NYC area, proud. Built to speed people on their way, the highway to Shunyi often crawls, with signs reminding locals that they should not drive tractors on major roadways. There’s a Steak and Eggs restaurant, and a Little Italy, which is in fact one eatery (in NY it’s only one block, so that’s similar too). Virtually all of the inhabitants in these pockets of luxury are western executives, far away from urban China. The light rail to the airport is supposed to have a stop or two out there when it opens next, so people can drive to the train, just like they do on the LIRR (Long Island), or New Jersey Transit.
It’s a weird little world, where you have to drive everywhere, and create your own perfect paradise removed from everything else. Maybe it’s just that I’m a Brooklyn boy, and that I never understood the suburbs (or LA!) that makes me averse to Shunyi. The houses are beautiful and spacious, and everyone has a team of ayis and drivers, but where’s the subway? Where’s the newspaper stand? It’s all quite confusing.
My parents’ house in Brooklyn is a ten minute walk from four different subway stations where you can take 6 different lines. Soon you will be able to walk to a basketball arena when the Nets relocate to Brooklyn. I like to walk places, or at least bike. I find a view of cars moving along the Second Ring Road from 20 floors up a cathartic tribute to urban life.
So I’ll go out to Shunyi and visit. It’s nice to go to the occasional party and breathe in what should be clean country air (but is actually even smokier than the city itself). But at the end of the day I just need to get back to my 106 meters with a view of the huddled masses. I can walk to the subway, and push my way on for my very short trip to work. Bustle is good. Fighting against the world keeps you sharp.
That’s who I am. That’s what I’ll always be. If Robert Moses were alive today and living in Beijing, he could drive in from Shunyi and visit the city on the weekends. Of course no real Brooklyner would give the time of day to the man who forced the Dodgers to LA.
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scott responds:
Posted: December 7th, 2007 at 11:06 am →
Ah, Shunyi. I used to live out there near the wealthy. I actually lived in a village, in every respect. I had the same old ladies who seemed to be shocked every time they saw me, which was just about every morning. I had people just stare at me on the bus. I guess they see westerners out there, they don’t expect them on the bus. Even though it was ’suburban’, it was filthy. I never would have believed that life near the second ring road would be so much nicer. A westerner on the bus isn’t such an amazing sight. It is quieter, believe it or not. Out there, those three-wheel trucks with the two-stoke engines drove me crazy. I actually prefer the government cars with the ‘I’m so important’ horns blaring. The air is even much better where I am living now. Out there, the huge cement plant kept the air thick, and Jing Shun makes huge contributions to Beijing’s air problems. (Of course, Jing Shun is a life-line, as the YanJing brewery is out that way).
I may have had a different view if I lived in the gated communities, but come on, those people can’t really lay claim to the hardships of living in China. Those people in their gated communities can hang out at Pinnacle Plaza and all, but how many places do they have within walking distance where they sit on a plastic chair by a plastic table, and eat yangrou chuanr and drink bottles of Yanjing Draft? That is truly living the Chinese life. (I am not making fun of this, I meet more Chinese and have more fun sitting at these little outdoor stands). I am like you, I prefer the sights and sounds of city life. Let them have their own little world so the expat wifes can feel comfortable away from all the common people, I can say I actually live in Beijing!
Scott
eric responds:
Posted: December 7th, 2007 at 11:43 am →
suburban life is so generic such that it would have the same essentials anywhere.
which is the point.
the point of living in shunyi is that one DO NOT want to live in China. you are dragged by your job or your spouse’s job to this country. and would rather have a make-believe home where you could pretend you are still in Brookline.