In China, growth may not equal happiness

For some, leap toward capitalism has meant growing pains, alienation

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BEIJING- Wendy Zhu earns an income that allows her to dine out regularly,travel for leisure and invest in an apartment — a lifestyle her parentscould not have dreamed of leading.

Butask if she's happy to have grown up in the 30 years since China took aleap toward capitalism, and the 37-year-old co-owner of a smallelectronics firm hesitates before responding.

"Inmy parents' time, we didn't have much savings, but as long as youlistened to the party with one heart and followed them, you wouldn'thave to worry about anything else," said Zhu, who was 7 when theeconomic reforms started.

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"Now, despite having some wealth, I am constantly worried about the future because there is so much uncertainty."

Thisweek, China marks the 30th anniversary of a pivotal Communist Partymeeting in December 1978 that initiated the current era of reforms,marking a shift from the class struggle of Mao Zedong to the pursuit ofmodernization.

Changesintroduced by Deng Xiaoping after Mao's death paved the way forbreakneck economic growth that has lifted the annual per capita grossdomestic product in the country of 1.3 billion people from 380 yuan in1978 to about 19,000 yuan — or $2,800 — last year. Hundreds of millionshave been lifted out of poverty.

Butwith greater prosperity comes many of the worries and alienation thathave afflicted other societies as they became wealthier and morecomplex: Having enough money for health care and retirement. Workingparents who have no time for their children and adult children who haveno time for their parents. The prospect of growing old alone.

Pains of modernization
In Shanghai, retired technician Guan Weihuai recalls the food shortages he experienced 30 years ago as a young man.

"Wehad to line up outside the grocery store just to buy 10 eggs or a pieceof pork. It usually took us several hours, but we still felt so excitedbecause it was rare to get such good food," Guan said as he did somestretching at a fitness area near his home.

"Now, my son buys me things I prefer not to have, like too much food, some useless but costly kitchen appliances."

"Iknow my son is always busy but still I wish he could just spend sometime with me so we could play chess or drink some rice wine," saidGuan, whose son is a sales manager. "Unfortunately, when I tried totell this to my son, he couldn't even finish listening to me because hehad to pick up that noisy mobile phone."

Thereforms have given people more choices as consumers, leading to a risein glitzy malls with luxury-brand stores in major cities andinternational fast-food chains opening outlets around the country.

The wide variety of choices has changed some habits.

Michael Wang, a recent college graduate, says he prefers burgers, fries and soda to traditional Chinese fare.

"Ilike burgers. I think the flavor is a little better than Chinese food,which can be too heavy," Wang said as he tucked into a lunch of spicychicken burger at McDonald's after going for a job interview.

"Also,I only drink cola drinks these days. I don't like traditional greentea," said Wang, who gave an English first name although he spoke inChinese.

Loss of traditions
Itisn't only eating habits changed by China's opening up to outsideinfluences. Retired professional stage singer Su Yuping, 65, lamentsthe way increasingly fewer young people are interested in traditionalChinese performance art.

"Ican't watch any of those pop songs and what do they call it, 'karaoke'?I'm not used to it," said Su, who performed across mainland China andin Taiwan during her decades-long career as a Beijing opera singer."The standard of singing is so low. We were trained to project ourvoices on stage. Now these pop singers all need microphones becausethey sing so softly, like cats."

Surecalled performing "The Legend of the Red Lantern," one of only eightplays permitted during the decade-long Cultural Revolution, which endedin 1976.

In thatera, followers of Mao Zedong, known as Red Guards, destroyed art worksand attacked the leader's enemies. At least a million people died andtens of millions were persecuted.

A lonely companion
CaoFengwei, 76, often thinks about how China has changed as she walks her2-year-old Pekinese dog, "Little White," past glossy office towers in abustling Beijing business district. On a recent cold winter day, LittleWhite was wearing a striped turquoise sweater under blue denim overallsand an orange bow on his head.

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Notso long ago, pet ownership was frowned on as a bourgeois affectationand dogs were clubbed to death in periodic campaigns against pests. Butthe Communist Party has withdrawn from many areas of ordinary life,making pets commonplace — a change that Cao appreciates.

Cao,whose husband died three years ago, has trouble sleeping because sheowes thousands of yuan to relatives who paid for her treatment for akidney ailment.

"Thereform and opening up is a good thing, but in this new society, thesingle and elderly people like me — we have difficulties, we have nomeans. If not for my relatives' help, I would be even more frustratedand sad," Cao said.

Little White is the woman's only companion these days.

"Oh,are you cold, Little White?" she asks the dog when he sneezes andshakes his fur. "I'm grateful that my friend gave me this dog to keepme company all the time, or else I would be so lonely."

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