Unfortunately, I don’t have much time to write today because of other commitments, so I have post another short, whimsical blog entry. As I walked to work today in Shanghai, I passed by a gaggle of upscale fine goods stores, including Gucci, Burberry, and Cartier, on my right. On my left, across the street near a small park, I saw a gaggle of ayis (an Anglicized version of "ayi," which means "aunt," an endearing reference to an older lady) dancing disco. Yes, disco. On previous days I saw elderly Chinese–men and women–doing taijiquan, an ancient Chinese exercise akin to martial arts. Disco has apparently become a hipper and more popular alternative to the ancient art of taijiquan, better known as taichi. Whereas taijiquan is slow, methodical, and fluid, disco is fast, upbeat, and heart pumping, even grinding. Indeed, the elderly are changing in Chinese society, just as the youths are changing.
