Menu

Capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing will host the 2008 Olympic Games. The appearance of Beijing is modernizing quickly but the difference between the rich and the poor is expanding.
Text : © Nina – Maria Paschalidou, Photographs: © Maro Kouri

Category
74 China, The many faces of Beijing. The old age increase is another problem as people over 50 years old are expected to increse and touch the 25% of the total population by 2012, from the 20% that are today. That means that China has to look after a not-productive part of the popylation. Today, many old people do not take any pension © Maro Kouri 75 China "The many faces of Beijing": Ma Han born 1968 at Hunan province, one of the poorest in China, today. He graduated from the Fine Art School and today he lives at the Factory 798, an immence art space which is also a commune. Biennalle 2004 hosted there. Ma lives with his companion who makes jewelery in a little home but they have their atelie and a little store. One of his works cost 10.000 euros. He isa live example of the chinese revolution in Art."It was something we all expected", he says. "The changes that happened the lasr years, created a new art movement". Young people have many and new incentives in contrast with the old people that they do not have any pension © Maro Kouri 76 China, The many faces of Beijing Beihai Gongyuan (North Sea Park) At six o'clock in the morning men and women practice in tai-chi. Some of them shout loudly, mimicrying animal's screams, and others go for walk together with their birds (pet) in their caves. At the same time in the night club "Suzan Wang", pretty, young pop stars move their bodies together with foreign bussinesmen. Night life in Beijing is diverted. There are clubs and restaurants only for the locals, others only for the foreigners and others for both. The west style restaurants are extremely expensive for a local. A dinner just besides trhe Forbidden Town costs 40 euros per person, strictly forbidden for a local.This is the amount that some ladies ask to consomate. On Suzan Wang' 2nd floor the curtains are closed. Back to park Beihai, nothing can ever disturb its quiet. © Maro Kouri 77 China, The many faces of Beijing In the night club "Suzan Wang", pretty, young pop stars move their bodies together with foreign bussinesmen. Night life in Beijing is diverted. There are clubs and restaurants only for the locals, others only for the foreigners and others for both. The west style restaurants are extremely expensive for a local. A dinner just besides trhe Forbidden Town costs 40 euros per person, strictly forbidden for a local.This is the amount that some ladies ask to consomate. On Suzan Wang' 2nd floor the curtains are closed. At the same time, six o'clock in the morning , at the park Beihai Gongyuan (North Sea Park) men and women practice in tai-chi. Some of them shout loudly, mimicrying animal's screams, and others go for walk together with their birds (pet) in their caves. © Maro Kouri 78 China.The many faces of Beijing Society totally dominated by men. Young acrobats are trained for theinauguration day of 2008 Olympic Games. Some other underage boys built five stars hotels to earn few yen. Both boys have common fate. Everyday in Beijing are born 117 boys against 100 girls and in areas with low standard of living this gap is longer: 135 boys against 100 girls. Where do the girls go? An article of "Economist" says that according to a scenario, might use those men as ...militarily guns, obtaining a national movement;it could be a purpose for their poinlessly lifes. © Maro Kouri 79 China.The many faces of Beijing Society totally dominated by men. Young acrobats are trained for theinauguration day of2008 Olympic Games. Some other underage boys built five stars hotels to earn few yen. Both boys have common fate. Everyday in Beijing are born 117 boys against 100 girls and in areas with low standard of living this gap is longer: 135 boys against 100 girls. Where do the girls go? An article of "Economist" says that according to a scenario, might use those men as ...militarily guns, obtaining a national movement;it could be a purpose for their poinlessly lifes. © Maro Kouri 80 China, The many faces of Beijing Bhudist monks, make tourism at the central commercial street Wang Fu Jing. The passage from the Mao revolution to Starbucks and Coca Cola revolution needs one God. © Maro Kouri 81 China, 'The many faces of Beijing':Opposite the Beijing hotel, one of the central, commercial, pedestrian Wang Fu Jing streets, gets full from young who live the consuming fever. Maybe they do not suspect their future which is threat by its own country pollution © Maro Kouri 82 China, The many faces of Beijing "Entrance is forbidden" Guardians watch over the Olympic works from the passengers' curiosity. 25.000 workers of "Beijing 2008" are native immigrants who live in nearby containers or in poor suburbs where from they are transferred to work by special buses. Huge posters say that " wuality of Work is more important even from the life itself". Maybe that is the reason that Beijing's salarys are between the lowest globally. © Maro Kouri 84 China, The many faces of Beijing The "untouched" homeless persons without identity card and birth certificate dissapear as Olympic Dream comes true © Maro Kouri 85 China, The many faces of Beijing. At Yong Sheng Xiang street is another slum © Maro Kouri 86 China, "The many faces of Beijing" The Chinese TV and Press -most of them controlled by the governement- present the west style as exotic! 2.194 TV channels, 211 newspapers & 8,889,102 magazines brief the chinese people to the new reality. The access to many websites is forbidden. Many new lifestyle & fashion magazines are born that change all the culture of new Beijing' citizens. Economy and culture gets free but not polirtics. © Maro Kouri 87 China, 'The many faces of Beijing' Behind the skyscrapers, the huge street advertisements that promise the future prosperity and the exciting Olympic Stadiums, China bleeds. © Maro Kouri 89 China, "The many faces of Beijing": Bicycle is the trademark of chinese daily life, that services the 70% of the transportation. But soon it will dissapear from the center, oppenning the way to the cars of the new arising class © Maro Kouri 90 China, 'The many faces of Beijing'. Dai Zhai Men restaurant. "We, Chinese people eat everything, even fungus", says the young lady who works at Cyprus Tourism Office. She belongs to the category of Chinese people that will benefit from the Olympic Games 2008. She holds a Luis Vuiton' bag, reading ''Vogue" and she trevels very often to Japan for a shopping sprint. The Chinese TV and Press -most of them controlled by the governement- present the west style as exotic! 2.194 TV channels, 211 newspapers & 8,889,102 magazines brief the chinese people to the new reality. The access to many websites is forbidden. Economy gets free but not polirtics. And in the very poor suburbs like Tsiang -Ho maybe families starv, but the TV is always ON. © Maro Kouri 91 China,'The many faces of Beijing' The Chinese TV and Press -most of them controlled by the governement- present the west style as exotic! 2.194 TV channels, 211 newspapers & 8,889,102 magazines brief the chinese people to the new reality. The access to many websites is forbidden. Economy gets free but not polirtics. And in the very poor suburbs like Tsiang -Ho maybe families starv, but the TV is always ON. © Maro Kouri 92 China, 'The many faces of Beijing'. 'Dong Hua Men' is a famous central street market with all kind of chinese fast food. © Maro Kouri 93 China, 'The many faces of Beijing'. Woman goes to work wearing the typical huge sunglasses to protect herself from the sunrays that shines through a poison cloud. Every year 300,000 Chinese people die from respiratory problems. © Maro Kouri 95 China, 'The many faces of Beijing' A legal family programming. Henri is a professional driver to limouzines for foreign bussinesmen.He already lives his american dream. His 11years old daughter Ren Tsiao Suang is proud for her dolls and comic magazines. Henri's family lives by 400 euros monthly -a respectous amount if you know that a worker takes inly 5 euros daily. 100.000yen is equal to 9.900 euros and is the amount that Henri should oay as a fee if he had a second child, according to his country law against high birthrate. Since twenty years the law oblicated couples that live in a city to make only one child. Couples in country can hope to make two children. © Maro Kouri 96 China, The many faces of Beijing. © Maro Kouri 99 China, 'The many faces of Beijing' Chinese law against high birthrate does not change for homeless like Tsink's family, from Tsiang Ho.He explains that many houses are demolished in the hutongs (traditional neighborhoods) in order to built Olympic buildings.For whome that have no money, they live in the underground city, in ex-shelters, that cost 20dollars per week. © Maro Kouri 100 China, "The many faces of Beijing": Liqun roast dyck restaurant at Beixiangfeng hutong © Maro Kouri 101 China, The many faces of Beijing. Li Kaye with his friends like to swim at lake. It is used from all ages. © Maro Kouri 102 China, The many faces of Beijing A worker takes a nap under the model's sexy glance on the gigantic advertisement at the central commercial street Wang Fu Jing © Maro Kouri 103 China, The many faces of Beijing Rickshaw driver takes a nap waiting for the next clinet to tour him an the Hutong © Maro Kouri
Adoption affairs Previous project
Beijing: Dog Market Next project