Nov 26 2006
From Bangalore to Beijing: First impressions in traveling East
For a mind jaded with the humdrumness and everydayness of living in India and having experienced something similar in North America, China comes as a blast of winter air. The senses awaken not only to the many surprises that one vaguely expects from modern China – four lane freeways and toll booths, skyscrapers and experimental architectures, steel and glass proudly announcing China’s ambitions, but also to the surprises that one has a feeble mental model to initially comprehend – the ease of being comfortably Chinese in the glare of foreign eyes (and the gaze of English!), a strange dissociation from the past and tradition, and my personal highlight in the one week China visit — the presence of several interesting individuals and sub-cultures of music, art, and design.
My first impression of China was similar to my first impression of San Francisco – I knew the place had arrived – definitely arrived at some point in the distant past, and it was I, with my limited knowledge and cultural assumptions, arriving late : (
The greatest gift that China gave me is that it made me rethink and delve into my own assumptions about culture and design and markets and such things. I felt clearly that beyond India, beyond North America and Europe, China does represent a frontier for design and innovation that requires not only great sensitivity and intelligence to understand, but also great guile and pragmatism.
The truth is – I am still coming down from China : ) the inscrutability of its language and cultural frameworks – the fascinating interactions of a billion and a half people – Peking Duck and Chinese wine – the in your face consumerism – the realities I could sense but not see.
Dear China, I hope to see you again, soon….till then, Shei Shi Ni!
