"May here be my final destination."
This was what Liu Peng told himself four years ago, when he first stepped into this city --- Shenzhen. He is now a popular psychology teacher of Shenzhen Experimental School, one of the best high schools according to most people's view, and the father to a two-year-old girl.
But not everyone can be as fortunate as he is. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people rush into this city that boasts an inexhaustible supply of opportunities, and people desperately in search of a better future. However, only a realistic few can survive in this expensive and fast-paced city, and still many fewer manage to get access to a Hukou, the record of household registration required by law which is needed in every sector of life, ranging from children's education to seniors' pensions.
However, for those people who have chosen Shenzhen as their final destination, the risk is worth taking.
"Where are you from?"
In no other city of China, probably, can you find it so natural to start a conversation by asking each other's hometown. According to the latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2012, the floating population of Shenzhen has made up over 80% of its total. Among all 13 million city dwellers, only 2.6 million are permanent residents and the phrase "permanent residents" here simply refers to those who have settled here not more than 40 years ago, considering there were merely 0.3 million people in this former fishing village before the year 1978 when the Reform and Opening-Up Policy first started.
The Reform has brought Shenzhen money, investments, opportunities and, of course, people who are seeking the things above. They compared themselves to the Pioneering Bull, the sculpture that is believed to be the best symbol for the spirit of this city.
The Pioneering Bull Sculpture
"You can never indulge yourself with a thorough break here. The city always tempts you forward." said Liu Peng, "It provides you with a platform where everything ahead seems to be foreseeable and touchable." He was honored the first prize in last year's Shenzhen Teaching Competition, which is totally unimaginable for a new teacher like him with no seniority and no social background in most cities of China.
"You are permitted and given a chance to be better here. Shenzhen has adopted a comparatively more meritocratic system and has better respect for fair play. You need to pay for everything you gain." He said, "I can easily picture what I would be doing 10 years later if I stayed in my hometown, but now, every day is filled with challenges, possibilities and surprises."
Challenges, possibilities, surprise --- these are the most commonly used words to describe Shenzhen. As a youthful city, Shenzhen has little to rely on but also little to burden it. Everything is expecting to be created. This gives people enough room to stretch themselves to their largest extent.
"It might be true for some people to say that Shenzhen is a cultural desert. The city is too young to develop its own culture." says William, an English director who is now starting his own film company. "But another way to interpret 'desert' is opportunity. Once you manage to grow a flower out of the barrens, everyone would admire it." He laughed, "Because they have no other flower to admire."
A Tough Journey
Every morning, millions of people hurry out from different corners of the city, heading for different destinations. Some of them look cheerful, but most are tired and drowsy. In 2011, Shenzhen was elected as one of the most stressful cities of China. Recently, more and more Shenzhen dwellers are considering "escaping" from this expensive city.
"It's October 24th now, and I haven't paid my mortgage this month yet. I've run out of money and run out of hope." Toto posted on his blog. He is an independent artist, script writer, and the organizer of a small movie studio. His dream was to produce his own film, but unfortunately, Typhoon Usagi has demolished his warehouse where all his equipment was stored, along with his plan for his first long movie next year.
Actually, Toto is only one of many. In the recent three years, the population flooding out of Shenzhen is relatively as much as that of rushing in.
Mrs. Wong is a fashion designer from Taiwan. She left Shenzhen this August soon after being fired, only nine months following her arrival. The company she worked for has a strict assessing system, which is surprisingly effective in finding out whose works are of the least market value. Designers who haven't performed well or well enough in this assessment will be immediately dismissed.
Deng Xiaoping Square
Cruel, but realistic --- this is how most small companies manage to survive in this jungle. The more thoroughly you can push your employees to extremes, the more likely your company can thrive. Even the most successful enterprise, Huawei, cannot deny it benefits from this rule.
Guo Fei, who is now working in a State-Owned enterprise, was once a system administrator at Huawei. His expression while recalling the experience in Huawei was a subtle mixture of nostalgia and weariness.
"My work was a little special as it could not be done during other employees' work time, because they were using the system. My operation could only be done while nobody was logged onto the system. Therefore, we had no weekend, no holiday and I cannot remember if there was any case when I was able to leave my office before 10 P.M." He said, "But I was luckier than those who were responsible for developing new products. Each of them had a camp-bed with them in their office and would never expect to go home before a significant breakthrough could be made."
However, "your achievements would be immediately recognized and fairly honored", according to Guo Fei.
The prospects are rosy, if you can survive.
"Lonely, but somehow warm"
"People of Shenzhen prefer to be labeled thus. They are proud of carrying an identity associated with Shenzhen." Zhang Hui is a second year student of University of California (UCLA), she said: "Even here in the U.S. I can still easily find students on our campus wearing their Shenzhen High School uniform."
Shenzhen is a city that is still growing. Everyone who has once lived here or is still living here are all witnesses as well as constructors of this city. They are all the participants and will be commemorated.
They come from every part of the world, and every walk of life, bearing various dreams and rushing on various routes, but this city brought them together. It belongs to no-one, while, at the same time, belonging to everyone.
Yu Xi has been here for 11 years. She moved here with her parents when she was 8 years old. "It is not an easy city to live in: the stresses and strains, the lust and temptations, the frustrations and pain." She recalled, "I've hated it here so much. I would never have to undergo the sufferings I have if I haven't been here. But when I look back, I can say I don't regret being a part of this city: Shenzhen."
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