It has been lovingly documented that in the decadent, opium smoke-filled, far-gone days of pre-revolution yore, that Shanghai used to be a proper modern day, vice brimming Babylon. As recently as the mid 19th to early 20th century, the streets that I now tread used to teem with illicit sex, drug crime, and poverty so appalling that beggars would drive nails into their own heads to gain sympathy. Meanwhile at the high end - glamour, wealth and corruption took place on such a scale that would make Silvio Berlusconi blush.
WORDS & BLACKBERRY PHOTOS: GEORGE WYNDHAM
In 1930 when Shanghai’s population was roughly 3 million, a Christian missionary figured out that about 1 in 130 local women were practicing hookers. That was the highest proportion of female prostitutes in any metropolis in the entire world at that time. The unholy amount of opium being traded here, along with the enslavement of so many women, led people to refer to Shanghai as ‘the Sodom and Gomorrah of the Far East.’
OK so that was then and this is now, all discharge under the STD bridge, at least that’s what the Chinese authorities would say. But I would argue, in my short month long experience of this strange place, that NOT MUCH has changed, at least from the prostitution side anyway.
Take yesterday for example. I had a day off from doing my teaching English on the street, so I thought I’d just man up and try to burn off the calories I’d put on during my first four weeks of my intensive chow mien diet. Off I went to Zhongshan Park for some running. I set off in the humid drizzle, and had just reached the kiddies’ pirate play area when I noticed a small knot of old men huddled excitedly round something. They were staring transfixed at a large object that seemed to be moving rapidly but had a weird shape. I couldn’t see properly so I got closer and whilst I jogged on the spot I peered in to investigate. What I saw was a 60-year-old man being given a hand job by a youngish woman underneath a multi-coloured umbrella. It was pretty weird to see this guy getting jacked off by a hooker surrounded by all his grinning toothless old war buddies right next to the kiddies’ landlubber pirate ship ride.
I tried to make a quick exit (jog on, son) but it was too late. She’d already seen me (the westerner) and a guttural gratifying noise told me that her elderly client was done with. She came out of the umbrella and waved a dripping hand at me (not kidding) “Hello” she beamed. “Yes please, you next, very cheap” I set off at a jog but she came after me tottering in her heels. “Hey where you go!, Very nice, very cheap.” I heartily professed my disinterest but it didn’t seem to deter her in the least. Luckily my running shoes gave me great superior speed so I was easily able to outrun her. The last I saw of her she was pointing to a bush invitingly exclaiming that she’s “found nice place for us!” Shuddering, I headed back into the park and soon was caught in up in the rush of joggers, draughts players, and Tai Chi gurus.
For a while I was quite taken aback at what happened, call me old fashioned but isn’t dogging something that goes on after lights out, or at least after 7pm when the park closes? Also isn’t it something that is done by the under 60’s rather than Korean War vet octogenarians that can still recall the end of the Qing Dynasty and when foot binding was just ‘one of those things‘? I guess it’s pretty appalling, going on right next to the kiddies play area the way it was – but hey, it’s China, so get over it right? You only need to take a walk round the block outside my flat to find at least 7 massage parlours, and you’ll probably be heckled by motorcycle taxi pimps. And to be honest when I think about it I really don’t care that much. I don’t condone any of it, but who wants to hangout in moral paradise? Not me that’s for damn sure, although I think I’ll take the main route round the park next time.
