Weekend in Chengdu - in words

With the prospect of a lifetime in the foreign service, Dave and I now approach towns with a fun question. Should we live here someday? Asking the question in Shanghai, the answer is quite simple. No. Although I enjoy my life in Shanghai, I’ve got no love for the city. I have enjoyed other spots in China, but never wanted to live there. The distance from Western community and conveniences would be too great to live in China’s great areas of beauty.

But when we hit Chengdu - home to one of America’s consulates - we stopped to think. I find it difficult to put into words what I like about Chengdu. The capital of Sichuan province, it is a surprisingly small city. With a population of around 4 million people and a span that may be driven across in an hour, Chengdu is a far cry from Shanghai. But its not just the size and relative accessibility of the city that draw me to it. The city feels comfortable to me. It is modern, without being flashy. The city has some money, but seems comfortable with its money. The homes look small and simple, but also clean and comfortable. The sidewalks are wide, and the streets are not crowded.

The city also seems comfortable in its Chinese and Sichuanese identity. The scent of Sichuan spices fill most streets, making walks mouthwatering and meals delicious. The architecture preserves old buildings with taste, and fills them with tea houses and noodle shops rather than German beer halls. And a simple drive out of town brings you into the heart of subtropical, rural Sichuan. Our drive outside of town on Sunday reminded me of the American South. We passed plenty of shacks, plenty of people walking along gravel roads and footworn paths. But we also passed plenty of new cars - simple, and not flashy. And plenty of modern homes - simple, but solid. And vines, trees and leaves covered everything not recently touched, adding an air of mystique and life to even the fallen fences and ramshackle homes.

I’ve often found myself enjoying the smaller cities in developing countries. The largest cities often seem so soulless - so willing to shed their culture and their history to become a quick copy of the West. Smaller cities retain their charm and their identity. Who knows if we could or will live in Chengdu. But I’m certainly not averse to it.

post-script: apparently, I am fiercely allergic to something in the air in Chengdu. By the time we returned home, I had a strong sore throat and my nose has been running below the sinus pressure in my head for days now. The longer I'm back in Shanghai, the more it clears out. So maybe Chengdu's not on the list after all!