Christmas in Shanghai

by Maple, guest blogger,  December 25, 2011

[in translation， 中文原文附后]

At Jing'an Temple in Shanghai

I don't know when it started, but my Chinese countrymen have increasingly lost feeling for traditional festivals and become more and more heated up by Western holidays. Even economic depression and "End of the World" panic can't hold back Shanghai's fervor to welcome Christmas.

At a mall in Shanghai

In a place that always leads the fashion trend and where there is no shortage of foreigners and foreign enterprises, it may not be so strange for some people to take this ride for a bit of fun, but when an entire city collectively goes crazy for a foreign holiday, it is a different matter indeed.  Here is the humility that goes with Christianity—such respect for others' cultures must be an overwhelmingly pleasant surprise to the 0.5% of the population in Shanghai that is foreign. So harmonious.

In Shanghai's Zhengda Square

 Each year, when Christmas approaches, the joyful atmosphere seeps to every corner of the city like overflowing water. When nights fall, the city is ever so gorgeous with lit-up trees, silver flowers and colorful embroideries of light, while Christmas music incessantly drones on. Excited young people dress exquisitely, like flowering branches vying for attention. No matter a big department store or small supermarket, no matter a bank or restaurant, no matter a foreign-invested or domestic enterprise or even a government organization, at every building's door there is a Christmas tree fully decorated with neon lights and bags of  presents. Even small residential enclaves and ordinary hospitals are not spared. So what if you are a Buddhist or Muslim, when you go home or go to the hospital, you get to celebrate Christmas.

In Shanghai's hotel

A while ago there was a joke circulating on the internet: in a contest for the most enigmatic department on the earth, the winner is China's "relevant department" ("有关部门").  I suspect, to place Christmas trees in every corner of Shanghai is the glorious mission of a "relevant department."

In a residential enclave of Shanghai

Perhaps people so exhaust their enjoyment during Christmas, that when it actually comes time for our own spring festival, the reaction from both businesses and the populace is fatigued.  Besides the dull red lanterns, sausage and smoked pork, plus the CCTV Gala Show that gets worse and worse every year, there is nothing else. Compared with people's enthusiasm for Christmas, spring festival no doubt is cast in the shadows.

In Shanghai's supermarket

Nowadays when commenting on something interesting, the Shanghai idiom goes, "That has some tunes" ("老有腔调的").  Is it because we Chinese are so insipid and constrained in nature that our traditional festivals are spent with fewer and fewer tunes?  Otherwise why, when the fun and relaxing foreign holidays such as Halloween, Valentine's Day, and Christmas are introduced,  do we progress from fascination to enthusiastic talk  to glad acceptance?  As to why Halloween involves masks, where Valentine's originated or whose birth Christmas is celebrating, no one cares as long as there are big meals to eat, discount goods to buy and colorful decorations to see.

But let's cut the cackle. On Christmas day, real Christians go to church to hear sermons, sing hymns, and read the Bible. There you will again run into situations between laughter and tears.  At the gate of the following church, for example, a bunch of Henanese sit there begging—

On Christmas Day, beggers at a Shanghai church

Even beggers in Shanghai know today is Christmas. That adds some tunes. They must have their simple logic – merciful Christians probably won't refuse to give charity on this special day.  That is why they deploy the most primitive ruse of bodily suffering:  on a frigid winter day, sitting on icy cement ground, wearing patched clothing and a faint smile, they languidly chant to the church goers: Please do something kind, bosses, please do something kind!

The foreigners pass by unfazed, but how can the fellow Chinese bear it? One digs into his pocket and hands money to a begging woman.  The woman takes the bills and says loudly, Thank you, you the good heart! You really are a living Buddha!

The Good Heart sighs looking up to the heavens, Oh my Lord!

海上圣诞

不知从何时起，国人对本土的传统节日感情越来越淡漠，对西方的洋派节日却越来越热衷。经济萧条和末日恐慌都hold不住这座城市迎接圣诞的热情。以一向走在时尚前列的上海来说，这也许并不奇怪，这里本来老外就多嘛，外资企业云集之地，凑个热闹过过洋节没啥稀奇。可整座城市为一个洋节集体疯魔还是比较少见的，这种暗合基督精神的谦卑简直让仅占人口总数千分之五左右的老外受宠若惊——这，这也太和谐了吧！

每年临近圣诞，满满的喜气就流水般渗透着这城市的每一个角落。黑幕拉下时，更是火树银花彩灯绚烂，圣曲音乐不绝于耳，兴奋的年轻人个个妆容精致花枝招展，无论是大商场还是小超市、无论是银行还是饭店、无论是外资企业还是合资企业还是国有企业甚至政府机关，门口都必然立着一颗挂满霓虹灯和礼品包的圣诞树，甚至连居民小区和普通医院都无一幸免，不管你是佛教徒还是回教徒，进小区、进医院你就得庆贺圣诞。

前段时间在流传一个段子，评比世上最神秘的组织，得第一的是中国的“有关部门”。我疑心，把圣诞树放遍上海的所有空地，就是有关部门安排的光荣任务。

大约是圣诞期间人们把所有的欢喜都用到了极致，真到了我们自己的春节时，无论是商家还是民众，反应都比较疲软，除却乏味的红灯笼外加香肠腊肉再加上一台一年烂似一年的春晚，别无它物。与人们对待圣诞的热情比起来，春节无疑是黯然失色。

上海人眼下有句惯用的话叫“老有腔调的”，是有趣有特色的意思。是不是因为中国人本性太枯燥和压抑了，以至于所有的传统节日都越过越没"腔调"，不然，我们怎会对比较有趣和放松的万圣节、情人节、圣诞节从莫名惊艳到津津乐道到欣然接受呢？

至于“万圣节”为何要带面具？“情人节”的来历是什么？“圣诞节”是庆贺谁的诞生？人们一概不管，有大餐吃、有打折商品抢，有花花世界看，这才是王道！

闲话少说，真正的基督徒会去教堂听听布道、唱唱赞歌、读读圣经，过一个真正意义上的圣诞。不曾想，在教堂，你仍然会碰到啼笑皆非的场面, 例如一帮河南人坐在教堂门前乞讨。

上海的叫花子也知道今天是圣诞节。有腔调吧？

他们一定是用朴素的逻辑推断——慈悲的基督徒总不会在这个特殊的日子里拒绝施舍的。

所以他们就用了最原始的苦肉计，在寒冷的深冬，坐在冰冷的水泥地上，脸上带着似笑非笑的表情，懒洋洋地向出入教堂的信徒们机械性吟哦：行行好吧，各位老板行行好吧。

老外们比较矜持，目不斜视地走过去了，同胞们情何以堪！有人掏出票子递给一位大妈，那妇人一边接了一边朗声道：谢谢好心人，你真是活菩萨呀你！

好心人仰天长叹：喔我的主呀！