Beijing vs. Shanghai: A Few Notes on Their Different Vibes
-
Hello everyone! Let me share my experiences living in the super metropolises, Beijing and Shanghai. I must confess, no matter where I am, I always feel like a newcomer to the city, finding everything new and exciting!
• Lodging?
- I am not quite sure which is more expensive. However, as far as I know, the same amount of money offers better accommodation conditions in Shanghai than in Beijing.• What to Wear?
- In Beijing, I am less bothered by how I look, because there are so many people around that do their own thing and they don't care.
- However, in Shanghai, I can see women carrying LV bags every 10 minutes when shopping randomly at malls. In Beijing, however, you cannot even make out what designer bag someone is taking with them while commuting in the metro, ha ha.
- Shanghai is certainly a fashion leader in China! You could dress yourself up in whatever way you want without feeling embarrassed, it’s liberating!• City atmosphere:
- Shanghai sometimes makes me realize this feeling that it has its own play book. During Halloween, there are plenty of creative and thoughtful young people out on the street, and living here, myself feels lively!
- Beijing is huge and has wide roads with longer traffic light waiting times that agitates one’s mood.
- The small streets and old buildings (referring to western-style houses built by foreigners in the past with gardens) in downtown Shanghai is so distinct on its own, and just looking at these homes will have you recognizing the charm instantly!• Eating & drinking:
- Anyone calling Beijing a food desert will ignite my temper! There are still lots of delicious food to be found!
- However, Shanghai surely has more choices in terms of food that are novel and more affordable compared to Beijingers, especially gourmet Western food or restaurants offering new creations. The competition among these restaurants (called “internal rolling competition”) helps decrease prices.
- But! Beijing cafeterias (like those in university or organization) serve double portions of food compared to those in their Shanghai counterparts!
- And in Beijing, I ate 10-yuan-a-bowl noodles in hutong (referring to old neighborhoods and narrow alleys). This cannot even be imagined in Shanghai, right? Shanghai noodle stalls sold the rice vermicelli at 26 yuan a bowl, and that made me alarmed.• Movie Experience
- Movie enthusiasts might understand: Shanghai movie goers envies Beijing having “Little Western Heavens” (referring to the art cinema of Chinese Film Data Museum where one will be able to watch classic or niche movies) and Beijing movie goers will envy Shanghai displaying masterpieces from different directors at local cinemas.
• Parks
- If we talk about parks, Beijing’s parks are surely some of the most beautiful and accessible! I went to Shanghai “Gongyue Forest Park”, where this “Monet Garden” stands... well, I am quite speechless. But Gongyue Park itself is still highly aesthetic.• Interpersonal Interactions
- In my opinion, there is a more clear-cut boundary in interpersonal interactions among residents in Shanghai, and everyone tends to be cautious about how far they interact.
- However, Beijingers tend to be warmer and friendlier like the northerners. Sometimes, a warm-hearted aunt from Hebei would even grab your phone and order food for you! This scenario, if happened in Shanghai, probably becomes a taboo!* **Traveling Tip:** When it comes to interpersonal interactions in Shanghai, a few attentions could make you more popular, that’s to say: show some respect.• City life:
- Simply put, Beijing is a huge place, and being told that the Pudong International Airport, which is an hour away from downtown, looks not that far anymore when compared to Beijing.
- Beijing’s winters are spectacularly beautiful with the red Forbidden City buildings after snowfall, and the ice field in Shichahai are so eye-catching due to its unique northern landscape in winter. Well, when it comes to winter in Shanghai… I merely think about the high electrical bills caused by my constantly turned on heaters.
- Beijing is closer to normal lives and hard-working people of different ages and backgrounds will have their own pace of living in Beijing. Compared to Beijing, the population of people coming to work in Shanghai seem younger in general, with fewer middle-aged people working in Shanghai.
- Shanghai folks in their forties or older could be seen chitchattering with drinks in Tim Hortons, 85°C Bakery Cafe or Macdonalds. But in Beijing’s Hutong, it’s easier to hear elderly people who gather together to discuss issues around the world, which feels very entertaining.
• Transportation:
- Comparing the buses in both cities, none seem reliable in terms of frequency and punctuality.
- But! Beijing's fares on public transport are so affordable!
• Work opportunities：
- If you seek career opportunity in the publishing industry or in government organizations or state-owned enterprises ("insides"), Beijing's job market is always more welcoming than other cities in China.
- However, the air in Shanghai is permeated with fashion-related business sectors. So, working in fashion is certainly a good move for the right person.• Note for newcomers:
- Notice! Shanghai people might easily follow trends and sometimes get easily “fooled” by trendier stuffs promoted online. Also, popular restaurants will probably have long queues, which stresses me out! So a bit of a homework needs to be done while traveling Shanghai, don’t blindly follow the trend!
#Beijinger #ShanghaiGatherings #GirlPostGradLife
-
Folks, I haven't worn a full face of makeup since I moved to Beijing.
-
I haven't put on makeup for two months now.
-
As a Shanghai local, I hated Shanghai even when I was there. After moving to Beijing, I started hating not just Shanghai, but Beijing too. Now I'm planning to go to Tokyo, and I suspect I'll end up hating Tokyo as well. It's not like being homesick; maybe I'm just a 'home-hater'.
-
Looking forward to hearing about your Tokyo experience!! Japan is so different, and Tokyo is a whole other level of different within Japan!
-
That's because you don't know Shanghai well. You can find tons of delicious noodle dishes for just over 10 RMB. Shanghai really caters to all budgets.
-
Any recommendations? I only know about Huxi Laonongtang (Old Alleyways of West Shanghai).
-
Many years ago, I went to Wangjing and saw this tall, slim, naturally beautiful woman; I still remember her to this day. Shanghai has plenty of exquisitely made-up women, but I've never again seen a girl with that kind of natural, elegant grace.
-
Seriously, in Wangjing, you'll see moms picking up their kids from school wearing slip dresses and high heels, carrying a Chanel bag – they look amazing.
-
It's rare to see a post that doesn't drag anyone down. This definitely deserves a manual 'like'!
-
As a Beijinger living in Shanghai, I couldn't agree more!
-
Beijing: a tense kind of relaxation. Shanghai: a relaxed kind of tension.
-
Beijing is like New York, Shanghai is like Tokyo.
-
The author put it perfectly; this really captures how I feel. I'm from Northeast China and lived in Shanghai for seven years. Initially, I wasn't great with personal boundaries, but the environment gradually shaped me into someone who never wanted to bother anyone. If I got sick, I'd hire a caregiver. I wouldn't meet colleagues outside of work, never gossiped, and even close friends would just head home separately after dinner. After over seven years of this, I had hardly any friends beyond professional connections. When I moved to Beijing, it felt so much more relaxed, and there was an immediate sense of warmth and community. People here are genuinely willing to help if they see you're struggling. In Shanghai, however, if you offer no direct benefit to someone, they wouldn't spare you an extra word or a minute of their time. The difference is truly striking.
-
You make Shanghai sound almost like a foreign country.
-
Shanghainese people seem more defensive than Beijingers. If you say something negative about Shanghai, even objectively, a swarm of Shanghainese (or those who 'spiritually identify' as Shanghainese) will rush to argue. But if you point out Beijing's flaws, as long as you're not aggressive about it, Beijingers will usually acknowledge them. That's just my observation, and I'm not debating it.
-
Isn't that a sign of lacking confidence?
-
My impression of Beijing is that it's very polarized: some parts are extremely unstylish, while others are incredibly fashionable. Shanghainese people aren't necessarily super trendy in their dress, but they generally have a more refined and polished look. Anyway, most of the super stylish women I knew in Shanghai were actually from other cities; Chengdu and Hangzhou have tons of fashionable girls.
-
What's so special about watching movies at Xiao Xitian? I lived nearby for seven or eight years and never even went to that cinema!
-
It's the China Film Archive. They screen art films that don't often get a wide public release.