Michael Meyer living in his Dazhalan Beijing hutong

[brucenator]

It is very exciting to see this video after reading Michael Meyer's book, The Last Days of Old Beijing. I recommend this book to everyone. It reads like a novel.

Here is a transcript (the next 14 posts):

[brucenator]

Beijing's 2008 Olympics have sparked urban redevelopment on an unprecedented scale. The Olympic Stadium and Village alone employs around 25,000 labourers, and the total project is costing 42 billion pounds. Throughout Beijing there has been more construction over the past year [2007-2008] than the whole of continental Europe over the past three years. Yet at least half of these new developments will remain empty -- unaffordable to average Chinese. So effectively they are being built solely...

[brucenator]

to ensure Beijing looks shiny and modern when the world's camera's arrive in 2008. Meanwhile, almost all the city's traditional hutong [胡同] districts are being torn down [拆] with well over half a million inhabitants already forceably evicted from their homes. I've come to one of the oldest hutong districts to seek out an American who lives here. Welcome to Beijing. Mike Meyer has started to teach English to the older members of his local community, because they came to be able to...

[brucenator]

help out foreign visitors during the Olympics. Do you speak English? 'I can speak a little English,' very good. So, I didn't wish to disturb you. Just interested in what you're doing here, so do you mind if I just sit and watch? Is that okay? Sure, sure, sure. Come, come to the front. Come, come, come. Mike wasn't going to waste the opportunity of a real Englishman in his class. I am a comedian. Funny person. Tough crowd, tough crowd, right? Yes. Exactly.

[brucenator]

But I've met tougher crowds than this in my time, and I felt professionally obliged to win them over. Chinese food is beautiful. I love Chinese food. I also love Tsingtao. Tsingtao Beer? Now that I have them warmed up, the lesson can begin. Sorry, could you speak slowly? What do you do? I am a grandmother. It struck me as a tragic irony that these old folks would probably have been forceably evicted from their homes here long before the Olympics begin. Thank you very much. Good, good.

[brucenator]

The value of this neighborhood isn't necessarily the buildings itself, but it's the intangible heritage. The cultural heritage. And again, the social network that still exists here. Hello, hello. Will this be here in two years time? That's the problem. Nobody knows, you know. In Beijing when you're... There's no Civil Planning Bureau you can go to and ask, 'Oh, when will my home be torn down?' I mean, this whole city right now, one of the reasons for the destruction of this old heritage,

[brucenator]

it's not that they're afraid of losing face, it's that they can't imagine losing face before the world. Beijing, this is it's coming out party to show the world: this is the capital of the world's next super-power, you know, this is not a communist state, this is not a weak nation that's been invaded by America and England and Japan and what-not. And so this all a part and parcel of it. You know, let's not lose face before the world.

[brucenator]

You'd be surprised, there's very little crime in this neighborhood. They put up all the arrests for the week. They post it. You know, whose house got broken into, what was taken, the name of the criminal and what-not. So, it's... again, I like it because it's the complete opposite of this anonymous suburban life, you know, you can... Walking around here, I haven't seen any other westerners that live here. I'm the only one in this neighborhood [Dazhalan]. It seems to be.

[brucenator]

Out of 57,000 people, yes, I'm the only one, so you can imagine the, uh... every move I make is watched closely. Is it really? Um, if I get drunk one night, the next day it's, 'Oh (you know), Little Plumblossom's drunk.' Little Plumblossom? Yeah, unfortunately, my name is Little Plumblossom in Chinese. It's actually 'Eastern Heroic Plumblossom.' All right. There's a lot of good things to say about living in a traditional neighborhood like this, but we also have to be honest,

[brucenator]

a lot of these houses are dilapidated. They're awfully cold in the wintertime. And there's this little issue that, when you have to go to the loo, this is where you go. Take my word for it, the stench is overpowering, so excuse me while I talk and hold my breath at the same time. You may not want to walk too closely in here. It's not heated. It's not air-conditioned. And often the lights not very good either. And there's a guy just in there, so I think we should come out, actually.

[brucenator]

So this is the entrance to where I live. The place is about 100 years old. In Chinese this is called a dazayuan ["big, messy courtyard"], which just means a big, messed-up garden, basically. Mike's house is deep within a maze of small courtyards within courtyards, almost impenetrable to an outsider. Come on in. And this is one of his neighbors [the Widow!], his surrogate grandmother, who proudly invites me in to see her house -- or rather, her room. Isn't it good? she said. Yes, it's good.

[brucenator]

She raised two children here. So, her first son was born in 1947 and her second son was born in 1949. She doesn't look old enough. She's over 80. Wow, really? How many kids do you have? No. None. She's saying, "You have to have kids." Ha ha ha, the night is young. Extraordinary to think that this lady has lived in this one room for more than sixty years. She was here even before Chairman Mao came to power and her life seems untouched by the turbulent changes in her country.

[brucenator]

Extraordinary too for me, a fellow westerner, to think that Mike lived in such basic conditions. So, this is my place. This is my kitchen. Please come in. Thank-you. You've got two rooms, basically. Yeah. This is my bedroom. For most people living in the West, this would be considered poor living conditions. I don't wish to be rude. No, it is, it is. Let's see where you live. No, but it is poor living conditions. So, why on earth does Mike want to live here?

[brucenator]

I wanted to see a part of Beijing that is disappearing. I didn't want to be one of those people that said, "Oh, Old Beijing is going away and we have to do something to help those people." And not to have ever lived it or experienced it. For the first time since arriving in China, I feel I'm beginning to understand a little of their culture. Thank-you for showing me a part of Beijing that I wouldn't have seen if I had just come here as a tourist.

[brucenator]

Well, let's hope that if you come back for the Olympics, it will still be here. I hope so. Good to see you. See you again. Cheers. All right, good-bye.

[chanctonbury63]

The Hutong are great. I spent hours and hours wandering around in Beijing. What they have done and what they are doing to the old stuff in Beijing and elsewhere is criminal. They are then building formless souless highrise and just dumping people in them. All that will happen is the same thing that has happened all over the World. No community, drink, drugs, crime, loneliness. Why the fuck cant they learn from other peoples mistakes???? This not 1960. This 2011 for Gods sake.

[youkuhao]

@chanctonbury63  Nicely said.

[dmeiske1]

I taught English in China for 3 months in Hangzhou and my Chinese wife and I absolutely hated it. My wife came to America when she was very young and when she went back she was horrified at the way people treated each other. I was staired at constantly as if I were a terrorist, lied to by schools that said they were going to pay me a certain salary, and the living conditions were horrific. If I would go back to China again I would start my own toilet business since there were none to be found.

[tannhausergu]

I miss my home. it's diminished. those who come from other provinces will never understand our feelings when our hometown perished . and I can do nothing for reserve my dear hutong, where I grow up.

[BarrelofMonkeys99]

Hello little plumblossom.

Liked your book, I used it as a guide to Dashilan!

China/Beijing is definately misunderstood by a lot of the west. I think your book will help educate us.

[longbourn2112]

hello mike, am so glad to see you on tube, I had a good impression of you and it was not in vain..Your book moved me to readmoreand learn much about this bueatiful country and people.. hope your next book also says much about the children that have been put in orphanages and so many to help here what can be done..Hope the hutongs could be kept and improved conditions

[eristderbeste]

michel eyertheu fr the horror movie?cant oud him inside of video.

[kruger8181]

I read the book a few months ago and found it to be very moving and honest account of Mike's view of life in a Hutong and how that is important to preserving traditions. Those traditions however are under threat of extinction as China's obsession with "everything new" grows at an ever increasing pace. Also gives very good insights in to the Chinese culture. Respect to you Sir (Mike that is!); its a sterling job you have done.

[simplelifeMW]

by watching Paul Mertin in China, I know there is a person call Mike Meyer in China. I admire you. This video is super. I would like to meet Mike if there is a chance in Beijing. Mandy

[alpswissart]

great movie. i like to have your view on beijing city.

[miniskirt04]

Michael Meyer 美国精神的真真体现 risk loving~

WOW书都出了，AMAZON打折后卖17块多美圆

[tzhang2]

已经买了，读了，很煽情，看到最后哭了好几回。此书是个催泪弹，­感情脆弱者不宜

[miniskirt04]

英国肥佬怎么又跑这现来了，居然敢称自己是喜剧演员，他以为，最­可乐的玩笑就是管陌生人叫鸡是吧。

最讨厌英国式的刻薄，让人浑身不舒服。

希望Michael Meyer的关于北京的著作顺利出版，有人知道他的性取向吗？

[LouisLeiYu]

my fav was after the British comedian said "the night is young" the old lady used Chinese and said "uagh, you're an old man already" , then she point to Mike and said "he should be married too" but the conversation was cutted off so it wasn't translated

[warrencurrier]

wow!! I love this video.

Guys, call me when you come to Boston, or, many cities where I have places.

I will watch this video multiple times!!

I want to have the courage you have-- to live your dreams. To do something important, as you do.

Warren. 617 818-8100