SIGHTSEERS
Destination: Shanghai, Beyond Sightseeing
by Randy Karr

My tour in Shanghai was going exactly as expected, I saw all the famous places and learned interesting things about Shanghai's fascinating history and culture. It was what I didn't expect, however, that made this day exceptional.

Earlier, Gao Dao had pointed to a sign near the Shanghai Acrobatics Theater that boldly decreed -"single longer, marry later, one-child-per-family". He explained that this is China's official policy for reducing its burgeoning population growth.

While at lunch, I asked him if he would share with me how he felt about China's one-child-per-family policy and what life was like for him as a young man in Communist China. What followed was a mesmerizing narrative, interspersed with unexpected candor.

"Did you ever sign a paper agreeing to have only one child?" I asked.

"That is long story," he began.

"In China, families allowed only one child. If we are lucky, we will have twins. In my factory, there was old lady who was a one-child inspector who interviewed me. I was 23 and was not married. She wanted me to wait until I was 27 to get married.

"Inspector gave me letter and wanted me to sign. Letter said I agree to get married later than 27 and, in future, I agree to have only one child. Then she ordered me to put my chop on it. I refused. (A chop is a stamp, often carved in jade or stone, which Chinese use as a signature.)

"She said all other workers did so, and I must follow them. I said impossible for me to do this. I am bachelor. I have no girlfriend. How am I going to get married? I said please, if you want me to sign form, please arrange girlfriend. I said I only want beautiful girl. She hated me very much. She spoke ill of me in front of my boss.

"In my factory, young have opportunity to learn some skills-electrical, mechanical. I was not allowed to do this because I would not sign, and also I was from black family, not skin black, but political black, a bourgeoisie family. My father was involved in foreign trade business. Other families were red families, from working class or members of Communist Party. So, I was unlucky worker. No chance to learn skills. Always had to do hard work. I had to pack cotton goods.

"But I study English. After Cultural Revolution and Mr. Mao died, and a new government came. Still Communist Party, but another system. New government said Cultural Revolution was national disaster. During Cultural Revolution, whole generation lost chance to get education. But now young person who thought they were intelligent enough could go to college, by take national entrance examination. From this chance, I was admitted to the Shanghai Foreign Languages Institute.

"By now I was 29 years old. I was still bachelor. If I continued to be bachelor after graduation, I would be assigned to rural province to work. I preferred living in Shanghai. More opportunity. A metropolitan city. More money-making opportunity, more goods, more cultural atmosphere.

After graduation, I wanted to make sure I would be assigned to Shanghai. So it best that I have Shanghai wife. My mother recommended good friend's daughter and I met her and married her. Then, when I went back for work assignment, I said I got married yesterday. I stayed in Shanghai.

"I was assigned as teacher in a vocational school in Shanghai. My wife gave birth to my son. When I arrived at school, the school authorities talked to me. They told me from my personal file on back, there was no form signed on one-child-per-family. They said it was now time.

Authorities ordered me to sign form. I said sorry, I cannot. Maybe my son might die, has accident, give me three more years, and then I will make decision. Authorities said three years was enough time for my wife to get pregnant again. I must sign form immediately.

"So my one-child inspector telephoned my wife's one-child inspector at her work. Both these ladies visited our home. In our neighborhood there was third inspector. Three ladies, same occupation. They visited my home frequently, every week more than five times. They just sat in my room very politely. They talk and advise.

"My one-child inspector asked, 'Mr. Gao, would you mind if we help you?' I said I don't understand. How could you help me? She said if I did not sign form, every person from general manager to the doorkeeper would lose one-month bonus. Everyone would want to know who is this Mr. Gao. This way, my colleagues would hate me. Also, if I did not sign, we would lose chance to get raises. The inflation is high. Since government assigned housing, we would miss chance to get better room, for long time, maybe forever.

"So I said this was too much pressure. I was exhausted. I was ready to surrender. The one-child inspector in our neighborhood was very experienced inspector. Every family in our neighborhood signed one-child form so she had good record. For her record, the Shanghai municipal government gave her title of Advanced Inspector and she made more money. My family would be first one to break her record. She wanted me to sign so as to keep her record.

"If I did not sign, I would not have chance to meet people like you. I would be sitting in my office, writing, criticizing myself. So I told her I wanted my son to have good education. She offered advanced kindergarten. I refused. Advanced kindergarten would not give chance for advanced secondary school. Advanced secondary school would give son opportunity for college. I said I wanted college for my son. Inspector agreed to advanced secondary. So I signed.

"My son is now 14 years old, in advanced secondary, and wants to become an astronaut."

"You mean an astronaut on the space shuttle?" I asked.

Gao reflected for a moment. ''It is possible."

On the train back to Beijing, I reflected on the time spent with my tour guide and how fortunate I was to have had him as my window to Shanghai. Through this window, I saw not only the heart of old and new Shanghai, but also glimpsed the tenacious spirit of the Chinese.

© 2006 Randy Karr