The phrase 向前看 xiang qian kan literally means "look forward", or
"look ahead." When the Comrade was a boy, it represented reconstructing
the Motherland, building socialism and looking toward a better brighter
future. Now that most of China is well on the way back to the future,
the phrase has taken on another meaning. 向前看 xiang qian kan has become
a 双关语 shuangguanyu (pun) because it sounds like 向钱看 xiangqian
kan, or "look toward money."
In Chairman Mao's heyday, Chinese people were classified into one of
two categories: the "haves" (politicians) and "have-nots" (everyone
else). Today, thanks to the 经济改革开放 jingji gaige kaifang (the Opening
Up and Reform Policy), the proletariat are more prosperous than ever
before. Mattresses from Tianjin to Tibet are bursting at the seams.
As a result, stratification of Chinese people has become more complicated
with the emergence of many new social categories.
Beggars 乞丐 Qigai
Thirty years ago, beggars looked like they were starving because they
were! In those days, beggars had no use for 钞票 chaopiao (cash). They
made their way from the impoverished countryside to the city to beg
for food. Hence the appellation 要饭的 yaofande ("food-wanters"). Beggars
today don't want food. If they wanted to eat they'd simply forage on
the mountains of food thrown away by Beijing's myriad restaurants. Beggars
require money so that they can choose from the flood of seductive goods
and services available to them. Simply put, the term "beggar" actually
refers to the lowest level of 消费者 xiaofeizhe (consumer). Theirs is
not an act of desperation to save their lives, but rather an act to
convince you of what little spending power they have in comparison to
you. Chinese beggars don't expect Chinese people to give them money,
but they do expect foreigners to give generously. If you don't, they
will be disappointed and possibly insulted. By not giving, you also
risk being thought of as 小气 xiaoqi (cheap) among the beggar community.
Beggars have an uncanny ability to spot foreigners like vultures spotting
rodents. They swoop down, thrusting their dirty McDonald's cup in your
face. Typical beggar tactics include shaking the change cup and exhibiting
a look of suffering and anguish. They cry "hello", or "give me money",
or simply "money" in English, and they may call you 老板 laoban ("boss").
Beggars hang out around the 火车站 huochezhan (train station), 地铁站
ditiezhan (subway stations) and outside of restaurants or wherever 老外
laowai congregate.
The Unemployed 下岗人员 Xiagang Renyuan
The term 下岗 xiagang literally means "to leave one's post". Actually
it is a euphemism for "get the axe". Chinese people who have 下岗 xiagang
are the most 苦 ku (lit. "bitter"; hard-up). They are even worse off
than the beggars because their monthly early retirement dividend is
less than the average beggar earns in a week!
Many unemployed Chinese people become entrepreneurs, selling 茶业� chayedan
(tea eggs), 香烟 xiangyan (cigarettes) or 盒饭 hefan (boxed lunches).
Some open a 小卖部 xiaomaibu (small convenience store) out of their
bedroom window. Others pretend to be 残废 canfei (handicapped) and charge
passengers a fee to ride in their 残废车 canfeiche (handicapped vehicle).
Delinquents 混混儿 Hunhun'r
混混儿 Hunhun'r are people who 混 "hun" for a living. "混 Hun"
basically means to do whatever you have to do (usually illegal) to make
a living. Typical ways to 混 hun range from simple 黑 - heishi (black
market) 交"� jiaoyi (transactions) such as 换钱 huanqian (changing money)
and selling train tickets to 抢劫 qiangjie (robbery) and 贩毒 fandu
(drug dealing). Some 混混儿 hunhun'r are 妓头 jitou (pimps) or 妓女
jinu (prostitutes). Better ways to 混 hun include becoming a 跟班 genban
(henchman) for a 大老板 da laoban (big boss).
Moneybags and Their Strumpets 大款 Dakuan and 小蜜 Xiaomi Comrade James
Brown observed that you've got to "use what you got to get what you
want." Many Chinese girls live by this credo. Aghast at the prospect
of a life of toil, they solicit themselves a 大款 dakuan (wealthy man)
that can support them and afford the lifestyle they demand. You're probably
wondering how these 小蜜 xiaomi (little "honeys") become career courtesans.
Many get their start as 卡拉OK lala OK (karaoke) girls. Customers at
the karaoke parlor choose a 小姐 xiaojie (girl) from a lineup. The girl
must then spend the rest of the night with the guy who chose her-lighting
his cigarettes, pouring his booze, laughing at his jokes, etc. At the
end of the night the customer is expected to tip the girl up to hundreds
or even thousands of yuan! Some karaoke girls make more money in one
night than someone with a 大学文凭 daxue wenping (university degree)
makes in a month!
Eventually the pretty karaoke girls are discovered and emancipated by
a 大款 dakuan. The less fetching ones go on to become a karaoke 妈妈
mama or matriarch of the karaoke parlor. How a 大款 dakuan becomes a
大款 dakuan is anybody's guess. Some invest their 麻将 majiang winnings
in 股票 gupiao (the stock market). Others 作生意 zuoshengyi (do business)
or 开公司 kaigongsi (open companies). Some 大款 dakuan are crude and
vulgar, but since they are wealthy, their crudeness and vulgarity can
certainly be overlooked.
The People's Money 人民币
renminbi RMB is also called the 'yuan'. One yuan is about 12 US
cents. Appearing on the 100 yuan bill from right to left are Chairman
Mao, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi and Zhu De-the four 伟大 weida (exalted)
founders of the New China. To make sure your bill isn't 伪钞 weichao
(counterfeit), hold the bill up to the light and look for the Chairman
Mao watermark on the left side and a line from top to bottom on the
right side. On the 50 yuan bill are a 工人 gongren (worker), an 医生
yisheng (doctor) and a 知识分子 zhishi fenzi (intellectual). The 10
yuan bill displays 农民 nongmin (peasants). Smaller denominations show
various 少数民族 shaoshu minzu (ethnic minorities). Up until 1994, 人民币
renminbi was actually "Chinese people's money," as foreigners were required
to use 外汇券 waihuijuan (Foreign Exchange Certificates), better known
as FEC. FEC, also called 对用券 duiyongjuan, were of course much more
expensive than RMB. Some ungrateful foreigners felt that this dual currency
system was somehow "unfair." They alleged that when US$100 could get
you RMB1000 on the "black market," it would only buy about 600 FEC in
the bank. Imagine the gall-so rich and yet still concerned with such
trifling matters!
In closing the Comrade would like to remind his readers that although
it is true that 有钱能使鬼推磨 you qian neng shi gui tuimo (when you're
rich even a ghost will churn a mill for you), money is not the only
thing life has to offer. Don't let the pursuit of money blind you to
other, more important things like 黄金 huangjin (gold), 钻石 zuanshi
(diamonds) and 劳力士 laolishi (Rolex) watches!
