Excerpts from a 11/7/07 online conversation with one of my Xi’an roommates responding to the article posted below.
MICHELLE: Comparing with America, it’s dirty, but you ignore the economic background of US and China!
MICHELLE: How about your health? have u 发表published your article?
…
me: they will in december
did you read it?
did you understand it?
MICHELLE: yep, I’ve read it.
is that your real feeling of Xi’an–unbearably dirty
me: i was trying to explain it to people coming in from the US
… everyone in america is worried china is polluting too much — but i wanted to say that even if the cities are polluted, people inside them are doing wonderful things that help the environment
what do you think?
MICHELLE: you know, after reading the article, if i were a stranger to Xi’an , I would not visit this city! Yep, I know what is the core meaning you want to express, but to some degree, it’s really hard to accept this kind of description about Xi’an
me: what do you mean?
MICHELLE: The city in your article is too dirty to visit and live
me: hm
how would you change it?
MICHELLE: Comparing with America, it’s dirty, but you ignore the economic background of US and China!
me: it wasn’t about blaming china or america
MICHELLE: I know that,
me: it was letting americans see that yes, it is dirty, but you have to look at the people
and that americans are wasteful, like i often am
so to look inside the homes and see how people live is important
it was not a discussion on WHY it’s polluted, it was about what we can all learn from people all over the world — no matter where they live
…
MICHELLE: yep:) but I still have a question: if american read this article, will they think that China is too dirty to visit? Do all american believe in that china is a heavu polluted country
me: i don’t know what all americans think now.
but they will see the pictures, and many other writers for this magazine write about china
so there are other things they can see to make them interested
MICHELLE: I have to acknowledge that some of cities in China has been polluted heavily, just as Xi’an, no fresh air, blue sky etc. But we are working on it to change and improve! Personally, I think your article has positive and negative influence. Positive influence is that maybe world people begin to know that Chinese are changing their environment, negative influence is that maybe most of foreigners won’t be willing to visit or live in so heavily polluted city!
but it’s true
that’s why blue sky days are counted… people should definitely visit China though! there are beautiful areas… Jiuzhaigou for example!
Hi Sabrina, I read your article and also the conversation with your flatmate Michelle.
I thought the article described the pollution in china pretty well (because lets face it, the air is polluted). As with stories, readers interpret it in different ways, and i think most people ‘would’ as Michelle said think twice about visiting such a place that is dirty and polluted, which was not your intention i know. Anyway, but I then read of all the inner beauty of Xian, the care for the environment that the Chinese people have, and it made me like the place, and how our fellow brothers and sisters in far off lands are doing so many things to look after the environment. Its i guess unfortunate that Coal is the main power source there at the moment. With the right attitudes, I think its only a matter of time before things change for the better!
Anyway i just came to check out your website, and got interested in the article, so thought to put in my 2 cents (or maybe 2 yuan’s) worth as to what i thought.
wow love! i adore your blog. i find these kinds of discussions so interesting…
p.s.you’re the best writer!