"Outside the 5th Ring Road" is a new study of how Beijing's relentless construction boom is both marginalizing the local villagers of Ping Fang Xiang and offering them new choices. The story centers on the way farm land has been subdivided, and the village segmented as new development begins. Less than three years ago, Ping Fang Xiang did not consider itself fully in the orbit of...
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"Outside the 5th Ring Road" is a new study of how Beijing's relentless construction boom is both marginalizing the local villagers of Ping Fang Xiang and offering them new choices. The story centers on the way farm land has been subdivided, and the village segmented as new development begins. Less than three years ago, Ping Fang Xiang did not consider itself fully in the orbit of Beijing, since few of the rapid economic improvements had reached this neighborhood of traditional structures, rutted dirt lanes and proud home-owners.

These days, the local post office cannot keep up with the flow of new addresses. As multi-story new apartments rose on farmer's fields, jobs were created, and opportunities to prosper came and went, the village found itself the beneficiary of progress while watching itself split apart into pieces. Many who could afford to do so moved into new government housing, offered at fair prices - those who could not, however, stayed behind, weighing the obvious benefits of change against the fracturing of their community.

More at www.jaydunn.com
Humanitarian Issues & Cultural Tradition Worldwide
look for "Ritual and Romance in Asia" at www.ritualandromance.com
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