In order to determine how fast a country is developing it's often a good idea to examine the changing lifestyle of its people. This is also true for cities and in China, one of the fastest changing places has been its largest metropolis, Shanghai.

The Shanghainese have always been famous in China for their business acumen, but prior to China's policies of reform in the late 1970s, they were also known for their frugal lifestyle.

In the days when China ran a planned economy and set quotas on daily necessities, Shanghai was the only city in the country to issue a "0.05-kilogram" grain coupon. For the rest of the country, the minimum weight was 0.1 kilogram. The smaller valued coupon helped people make more precise purchases and avoid waste.

The Shanghainese thrift was famous across all China. One popular story has it that in the days before the reform butchers in the city rarely sold whole chickens, preferring instead to offer the animals in parts to generate the biggest profit.

From a young age youngsters in Shanghai were taught to avoid unnecessary expense and deposit surplus cash in the bank. It was common for many young workers to squeeze out two yuan (30 US cents) from their 18 yuan monthly salary to deposit in a bank. Many also learnt the craft of making furniture or tools to avoid having to buy them from shops.

Mr Wang, a white collar worker born in Shanghai, still clearly remembers his grandpa, a metalworker who produced many tools for the family, including even a stainless steel spoon.

The Shanghainese were also frugal in buying clothes, but this would never hamper them from being fashionable. When eyeing stylish clothes in a shop, instead of buying, many Shanghai citizens would purchase a piece of fabric and tailor it into a similar fashion by themselves. They would also add some special design to make the outfit more attractive.

Older Shanghai citizens can remember how the search for good housing was once a long-term headache. Many couples had to huddle in a room not bigger than three square meters in the hope they would receive a government subsidy that itself was not enough to provide for all the city's inhabitants. Residents often installed cabinets and built attics, often called the "pigeon's cage," to expand their living area.

However, the passing of time has brought with it great changes to the city of Shanghai. The era of the "pigeon cage" has long gone. Last year, the city's residence area per capita neared 17 square meters. The social development has also seen a rise in the level of living conditions. The new generation of Shanghainese no longer thinks much about saving money. They have grown up with a completely different mindset to that of their parents.

Today's Shanghai now boasts the most new high-rise buildings in the world per year, and has the largest number of ring roads in Asia. The Shanghai people continue to develop their city. When the 2010 World Expo opens in Shanghai next year, this vibrant metropolis will undoubtedly put on a magnificent display demonstrating to the world the great leaps it -- and China -- has made over the past few decades.

(CRIENGLISH.com September 22, 2009)