In a series of articles, we're taking a look at how four key ares of Shenzhen have changed since the city became a Special Economic Zone, transforming into a megacity in less than 30 years. This section takes a look at Baishizhou.
Every morning, thousands of young people can be seen walking out of Baishizhou’s alleys with breakfast in hand, rushing to the bus and metro stations. They come from different provinces (and some from abroad) to pursue their dreams, and most choose Baishizhou to live in for its cheap rent and central location.
Compared with the downtown area, here a person can easily rent a room for RMB1,000 a month – those who don’t need high-quality living can find something for just RMB500. With two metro lines, Luobao and Shekou, as well as more than 30 bus routes running through, residents can easily get to work. Most parts of the city – Luohu, Xili, Bao’an – are reachable within an hour’s commute.
The Bureau of Statistics of Shenzhen Municipality claims that the population of Shenzhen is 12 million as of September 2014. Only three million of those are registered permanent residents. Migrant workers make up most of the remaining nine million, with many living in Shenzhen’s urban villages.
Baishizhou is the largest and arguably most famous of these. Around 100,000 individuals live within it, but only 2,000 of them are registered as permanent villagers. The district encompasses six communities, five small villages and more than 2,000 buildings.
Baishizhou was originally formed from several habitations where people made their living fishing, raising oysters and planting. Later, in November 1959, the Shahe Returned Overseas Chinese Farm was built and many worked the land to sustain themselves.
In the 1980s, the state-owned farm and the surrounding area were divided into two, with ownership split between the Overseas Chinese Town Group and Shenzhen Shahe Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. After 1999, the Shahe Group gradually reverted the obligation of managing Baishizhou to the government, and the OCT Group stopped pumping money into its development. Due to the lack of investment, Baishizhou was left (literally) in the dust of Overseas Chinese Town’s renovation and gentrification. Underlining the disparity, the two areas are only a 10-minute walk from each other.
In many ways, Baishizhou is the ragged sibling of the lush and clean OCT. They remain intertwined with each other just as much now as they were when they started. Many of OCT’s workers live in Baishizhou, alongside other residents employed by the surrounding theme parks of Window of the World and Splendid China, as well as specialized expat workers like artists, architects and teachers.
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hose who want to experience Baishizhou need only to walk out exit D of the Baishizhou metro station. Compared to Shennan Dadao or other roads in Nanshan, streets in Baishizhou are small and busy. Innumerable pedestrians and cars mix with hundreds of booths on both sides of the many streets. These stalls sell almost every daily necessity, from street food to small household products. Markets and clothes stores abound while restaurants feature the many different cuisines of China. Some enterprising foreigners have even started a kebab shop, craft beer bar and silent disco.
Since villagers built most of the buildings years ago, most of the structures are less than 10 floors and are devoid of lifts. Some stand so close to one another that they have become known as “kissing buildings” or “handshaking buildings,” since neighbors can simply lean out the window to greet one another without leaving their own block.
Though the aesthetics of the environment are decidedly less chic than other parts of Shenzhen, Baishizhou is still the first choice for most people when they come to the city to start their new lives. However, with the municipal renovation project underway, many old structures in Baishizhou are being torn down, alarming and saddening those who call this scrappy, vibrant place home.
// Photos provided by Mary Ann O'Donnell.
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Handshake 302
Founded with the idea of promoting and creating art focused on cultural appreciation of Baishizhou. According to the team of artists and curators that utilize the space, handshaking building breed closer communities. Together, they explore and encourage others to examine the importance of that closeness, especially in relation to Shenzhen at large. This is faciliatated through installations, performance art and residencies. Visit Shenzhennoted.com for more information.
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