How I grew up with Shenzhen

Inspired by D.R.G^^,I was thinking about writing my version of how Shenzhen became SHENZHEN.(Following photos were NOT taken by me)

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Since far-back old China,the southern part of China hadn't been attached importance by emperors because it was inhospitableThere were even some offensive terms for the southern area and people.When reading those great and classical poems,you may find most of them were created the moment the rhymist got banished from the court and sent to the south,feeling depressed.

Shen(深) means deep and zhen(圳) means ditch,so Shenzhen means " the deep ditch" in Chinese.Thereby we're convinced that formerly it was really just a small fishing village.

old look

I may be called "a totally Shenzhenese" since I was born and raised up here.But I don't completely accept it because the word Shenzhenese has different definitions.

1st one,the native Shenzhenese--they're the real natives here and are in possession of some land for building.They don't have to work but can be well off because the rent they get from their buildings is really a lot.Thus they kinda rest on their laurels and become Babbitt.

2nd one,permanent residents--like me and my family.We came from another city but Shenzhen is our registered permanent residence.FYI,there are only Chinese and north Korean having the system of registered permanent residence.So sometimes we still don't know where our homes are if we just have ID card.

3rd one,transient residents--they may have lived in Shenzhen for many years,but since they haven't got Shenzhe registered permanent residence,they're still newcomers and have less welfare benefits.But they have contributed a lot to this city.
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Second hospital

I was born here in Shenzhen back in 1988.The hospital was named Huaqiang Hospital（华强医院）at that time but later was renamed twice,first as Red Cross Hospital（红十字会医院）.But it is said people were misled that it was free and actually they couldn't a fford it,therefore the hospital became really red.So the hospital decided to change its name again.I don't know whether the new name works but it's called the Shenzhen Second Hospital（深圳第二人民医院） now.

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If you were asked something happened when you were two years old,you probably had no idea.But unexpectedly,I do remember one day.It was sunny and mom tookt me to Lao Jie（老街）.We saw a long queue in front of some restaurant--it was the first McDonald's in China mainland.We joined in the fun which we seldom do but when mom saw those strange food names,she didn't like it.I was impressed by her remark "Tea is good and milk is not bad.But the milk tea sounds really ewww".But who would've thought she drinks nothing but tea milk in McDonald's now.^^I have never seen "food coupons" since I began to remember things.Shenzhen was the first city that cancelled food coupons.Well,but when I was very young,McDonald's was much more expensive but offered more choice.I remembered there were borsch and a kind of soup with some sort of starlike stuff made of flour.They were delicious but disappeared suddenly.

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In the same year,I rode a bike at someone's home and bumped into a piece of glass.That glass came to pieces and therefore I was hurt badly on my head--I received stitches for those wounds and I suppose it made me look like a plus-size Q-tip.

Lao Jie（老街）,also known as Dong Men(东门),located in Luohu district,is always a good place for shopping,especially for clothes.The upper pic was of old Lao Jie and I can see some sort of Hongkong style.But now,after a few reconstructing, it looks so different now. For quite a long time,Luohu was the best district in Shenzhen.

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fig-1
fig-2 fig-3

January,1992,Deng Xiaoping visited Shenzhen but I was way too to young to be heartened.In memory of this event,Shenzhen government put a big portrait of Deng(fig-1).But when I first saw it,it'd changed(fig-2).Now fig-3.

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Shenzhen Grand Theatre

Not far from this big picture,there is Shenzhen Grand theatre.I've been there for only once.I don't remember what the concert about but I remember I went with my father.As the government ploughed much more into Futian,this theatre is not so important as it used to be now.

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Few years later(1993),there was a huge flood in Shenzhen.I was asked to stay at home instead of going to the kindergarten while mom had to work.I went out with my little fellow and the water reached our knees,making it hard to move forward.I found there was a mouse in cage(should have been caught there) and it was going to be drowned.I lifted up the cage and put it somewhere else.So I once saved a life.^^

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1995,Di Wang Tower became the highest building located at the hub of the Shenzhen.A good friend of mom lived in Caiwuwei and we visited her a lot.So I kinda witnessed how the Diwang Building being built up.Then suddenly one day,I was told it was finished and was took to see it.I stood outside and looked up,feeling scared.At that time,Diwang was also well-known for its green laser light at night.Everytime I saw it,I was very excitedand delighted.But now,I don't even pay attention to it and it's faint among the fabulous night piece.Until now,I haven't been to the top of Diwang.What a shame.

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..........Wal-Mart first entered the Chinese market in 1996 when it opened its first Sam's Club member store and shopping plaza in Shenzhen, a special economic zone neighboring Hong Kong. ........The US-based Wal-Mart, the world's largest chain store retailer, has moved its global purchasing center from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, a city in south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2002)

There's still only one Sam's in Shenzhen while Wal-Mart expands its stores not only in shenzhen.In my opinion,the first Wal-Mart shopping plaza and Sam's Club are always great but those latter Wal-Mart stores are not so marvelous.So theI kinda consider Sam's and Wal-Mart as two different things.BTW,the Sam's in Shenzhen was once relocated.

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When it comes to 1997,every Chinese(not younger than me) may recall two things.First one,Deng Xiaoping passed away.Second,Hongkong returned to motherland.

About the first one--I was in primary school at that time.All pupils in my school were asked to sit in a hall.My school meant to give us a chance to mourn the death of the much-loved leader but we didn't have much idea.All I remember is that we quietly sat in that hall while most teachers were shedding tears.When I got home,every channel showed nothing but a black picture with lament.

As for the second one--We got one day off because of the the Return of Hong Kong but as most other workers.mom was asked to send off those presidial army to Hongkong.Millions of people stood on both sides of roads,waving flowers.But she told me she was very tired and bored because they had to wait there until midnight.

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1998------Happy Valley officially practised.


1999------(1)The first Hi-Tech Fair held by the Shenzhen Municipal Government.(2)I got my first computer.


2000------(1)Li Yundi,from Shenzhen,was first well-known for being the youngest pianist to win the International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition at the age of 18 in the year 2000. And for us Shenzhen people,Li is more famous than Lang Lang.(2)My computer got Dial-up Internet access.


2001------(1)APEC 2001 SOM II Opens in Shenzhen.(2)My first year in middle school.


2003------The first suspected case of SARS in Shenzhen was reported.
2004------Shenzhen became the 6th Chinese city with metro, after Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tianjin and Guangzhou.


2007------Shenzhen was granted the right to host the 2011 Universiade in Turin, Italy.

2008------Shenzhen a special economic zone is 28 years old.
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It's not easy to finish this post and I spent more time than I expected but still missed many things.Well,I should save them when next time I look back. ^^