response to "Revolution Is Not A Dinner Party"

Almost immediately after reading "Revolution is Not a Dinner Party" my mother asked me to go get a loaf of bread since we were out. While I was in the grocery store, I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if I had to fight hundreds of other people for food. would I be able to sneak to the back and steal the food that was saved for my oppressors? I am not sure if I could. I doubt I would have the courage to steal or the fortitude to fight others for food. But hunger makes people do things they normally wouldn't. It's tough to know for sure. But That is not the point of this post. The main thing I wanted to talk about was how China has changed and how it has remained the same since the rule of Chairman Mao. When I was in high school, some of my extended family were planning a trip to China. I was asked if I would like to go and I lumped at the chance! this was in the spring of 2007, just one year before the Olympics were to take place in Beijing. When our plane landed in Beijing, the first thing I remember was that I could look out the window of the tour bus and being able to stare at the sun. I literally mean "stare" as the smog in the air was so thick that, even at midday, the sun had the same color and hue as a sunset in the U.S. Our tour guide was adamant that we see the absolute best that China had to offer. From its historical districts to its most bustling cultural centers. In truth, we did see many things that were beautiful. But right beyond the beauty was a world of decay and refuse. For instance, when we drove down the street in our tour bus, we would see beautiful and well-maintained shrubs and flowers. However, on the other side of the shrubs were cracked sidewalks full of people and garbage. While some buildings in the historical districts were beautiful, others (that were actually lived in) often had tin or aluminum roofing and on top of the roof would be black garbage bags, which, I can only assume were filled with garbage. Whether this was meant to serve as insulation or just storage space (for, indeed, the houses were built practically one on top of the other) I don't know, but it just amazed me how much garbage was present everywhere we went. Eventually, we made our way to the Forbidden City which still had a large portrait of Chairman Mao over the entrance. Indeed, while foreign policies and ideals are changing, China is still very much a Communist country. The most interesting thing to me was the dilapidation present in the most historic portions of China and how, even though the cultural revolution was over, the revolution of advancement was still present. Many of the historic districts we visited (which were supposedly had the same protection as our historic landmarks and state parks) were constantly being bulldozed and the population being relocated for the purpose of building skyscrapers and apartment buildings (which the general population could not ever hope to afford). So, in a way, the cultural revolution is still going on. with individuals being forced out of their homes to make room for newer, bigger buildings. Taking away everything historic about beijing and other major cities we visited in China. In fact, I have been to Wuhan. we were only there for a few hours before we boarded a train to Shanghai. But I know that I have walked the same streets as Ling Chang, the hero from our book. I saw where the Han river met the Yangtze river and probably went into the hospital #4. I cannot express how much this book has changed my views and understandings of the China I visited. But I can tell you I will never look at my trip the same way again.