Voices

Don't blame Shanghai for the locals

By Liu Yujie (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-05 08:20

Coming from Shanghai and currently working in Beijing, I often feel unjustly treated when I hear people speak ill of the Shanghainese, as I feel myself different from the stereotype.

Haggling over every ounce at vegetable markets, too shrewd to be trustworthy, snobbish and exclusive, is invariably the image of Shanghainese in the mind of people from other parts of China. And these characteristics are what we are widely scolded for.

Yes, I cannot deny the existence of such terrible traits in my home city. But I must remind you that most of them were born in a particular historical background.

During the historical wave of migration, when their forefathers moved to Shanghai, it was then a place for adventurous tough guys to make fortunes. With nothing to lose, these newcomers were more brave and less conservative than locals who were born and bred in the city and eventually climbed higher up the social ladder.

At the same time, their offspring had more exposure to Western culture than any other mainland city and soon cultivated a superiority complex.

Thus Shanghai came to be dominated by the new settlers, while lots of less competitive locals were driven toward the suburbs. My family was just one of those being relocated. My great-grandfather used to work at a German bank in the city center, but he died so early that the family lost its economic backbone and had to move out.

Nowadays native Shanghainese can only be found in the suburbs. Each time I take a taxi to downtown, drivers, knowing that I'm from a suburban area, don't miss a chance to complain about the way new Shanghainese talk. "Look at how these guys speak, mouthful of "ala ala" (meaning "us" in Shanghai dialect), how long on earth have they been here? Labelling themselves as Shanghainese! So unbearable!"

Just like people from elsewhere, even we suburban Shanghainese do not like our urban counterparts. Since childhood, I've embraced the impression from adults' daily gossip that urban dwellers are far from reliable. They are no more than fancy talkers with flowery and deceiving words. They are literally "iron cocks" stingy with money. Sacrificing personal interests for the benefit of others is probably the last thing in the world they would do. There is even a new word gangdu (idiot) to call such people.

No wonder many of my friends working in the city strictly limit their choice of future spouse to suburban locals, commenting that their urban contemporaries are not decent enough for marriage.

Eileen Chang, the famous novelist writing on Shanghai, made the insightful comment that they not only look down upon the non-natives, but they also turn up their noses at themselves.

"Let's become lovely citizens!" was a slogan proposed by the Shanghai municipal government several years ago, which I find really interesting because it speaks volumes about how Shanghainese view themselves. I guess no other city would use the word "lovely" but Shanghai.

"You are not Shanghainese-like" is the most frequent comment I've got from newly met friends in Beijing. Although I feel like taking it as a compliment, I do want them to know that there are still millions of native Shanghainese living in the suburbs that are as nice and honest as any of you can be. Please include us in your impressions of Shanghai.