The Attraction of Shanghai
Posted by Phil Adams on Oct 17, 2010 in Blog, Trans-Siberia 2010 | 14 comments
In September, 2010, Shanghai, China is a city that attracts people. The Las Vegas-style neon that lights up the night, the business that flows through the ports and the factories, the opportunities for Chinese nationals to attain more wealth in one month than their parents attained in their entire lives, the opportunities for foreigners to start or expand their businesses not only to the 1.3 billion Chinese, but also the world, and KFCs on every corner, all combine to form a city unlike any other on Earth.
In March, 1949, Shanghai was a city that attracted people. The Communists had taken over most of the country and anyone with any personal wealth needed to get out of China. Shanghai was the best option, with the most ships on which to hide. Mr. & Mrs. Cheung had fled from the north to Shanghai with all of their belongings and their four little girls, the youngest of whom was less than five months old. Mr. Cheung escaped first with most of their things and made it to Hong Kong, which, at the time, was a British territory, where he set up residence and sent word to his wife that it was safe to follow. Mrs. Cheung found a captain willing to hide her and her children on his ship. The city had not yet been taken by the Communists, but their boats still patrolled the waters looking for emigrants.
Before they left their home, the youngest girl had become sick and frequently cried. The couple's friends knew they were planning to escape and warned them that they should leave the baby behind. If the baby cried on the ship during their escape, the captain would make them throw her overboard. And besides, it wasn't like it was a little boy. It was just a girl and they did not matter so much.
Now it was time to board the ship and her baby was still sick. This was her last chance to ensure that the child would live, albeit without a family. Mrs. Cheung had no choice. It was she and her four girls against too many men; men who were afraid for their lives. Her fear was almost overpowering. What could she do?
She did the only thing that she could, the only option her mind would allow. She would not leave the girl and that was it. No other alternative. She would stand up to the captain and his crew if she had to, but her family was the most important thing that she had, and she would not lose it.
The baby did not cry and the ship escaped the dangerous waters around Shanghai. They had escaped from the north to Shanghai, attracted to the city for different reasons than the masses today and were able to live different lives because of it. The family made it to Hong Kong and reunited with Mr. Cheung. Mrs. Cheung's crying baby girl survived the journey and grew up to have two girls of her own: Sophia and Sara.
Sophia has lived in Shanghai for the last two years, drawn to the city that attracts people by the economic opportunities afforded her husband. Sara chose Shanghai as the starting point for our journey so she could spend some time with her sister. 60 years after the Cheung family escaped, its descendants have returned to a city that has changed, a country that has changed. Together, we all stood by the river at The Bund, the historic area of the city, and looked at the same water that Mrs. Cheung and her family looked at so many years before, only this time, there was no fear, only wonder at the city.
