Job Discussion Forums

AnthonyWong · Joined: 14 Oct 2003 Posts: 12 Location: Canada

Hi,

I have heard Shenyang is an industrial city. Is it as bad as everyone says it is? How are the winters? How is the nightlife there? Any info regarding Shenyang would greatly be appreciated.

MartinK · Joined: 01 Mar 2003 Posts: 344

The Central Scrutinizer · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 20

Shen Yang has many drawbacks environmentally, but it could be worse, just stop off at Ben Xi on the way to Dalian for a taste of worst case senario. Shen Yang does have quite a bit to offer in terms of history and education. Shen Yang stands out historically as the capital of Manchuria prior to the Qing dynasties ruling of China, and for that has a palace and a couple of tombs of early Qing emperors. Also, it has a number of Universities there as well as language schools.
I never found the people in Shen Yang rude at all, on the contrary, people are quite happy to invite you into there homes for dinner. Students there love to party more than most other cities in China and in this respect Shen Yang can be hard on the liver.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

And don't forget that most cities in Manchuria are now a scrapheap, huge industrialised districts that stand idle as the state is withdrawing from running factories, and new employers are scarce.
High unemployment rate, and in winter coalfire-induced smogs.

JDYoung · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 157 Location: Dongbei

I arrived in Shenyang on Aug 20 and started teaching here Sep 1 so I haven't experienced a full year's worth of weather yet. The entire city seems to be under construction so there is a lot of dust. I'm told the pollution from coal powered electricity plants and industries increases in the winter. Since I'm from the Canadian prairies I doubt the weather will bother me. The shopping is incredible. The traffic is manic. The people generally helpful and very interested in strange looking folks in their midst as they are not used to foreigners. Shenyang is not a tourist destination. There is interesting history largely undiscovered by westerners so most places aren't crowded. It's the provincial capital and the 5th largest city in China so there are lots of uni's, colleges and language schools. All in all, I'm having a blast. PM me if you want other info.

The Central Scrutinizer · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 20

Ya, just like America before the white man.

shenyanggerry · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 619 Location: Canada

I lived in Shenyang from February until July this year. I loved it. In winter they heat with lignite so the smell of coal is everywhere. About the first of April, they turn off the heat. With it goes most of the pollution.

To call Shengyang a dirty industrial city is an exageration. Over the past few years they have done a lot of cleaning up. 'Instant' parks are everywhere. I estimate that in 2003, between 100,000 and 250,000 trees were transplanted into the city, trees 2-4 inches in diameter. They are making a real effort to overcome the sins of their heavy industrial past.

Yes there are slums and dirty industrial areas. There are also modern buildings and parks that would make most first world cities green with envy.

And yes, you'll probably see me back there come February.

NumberOneSon · Joined: 03 Jul 2003 Posts: 314

cheekygal · Joined: 04 Mar 2003 Posts: 1987 Location: China, Zhuhai

I was in Shenyang once to extent my passport [they have consulates of few Embassies there]. It looked empty to me. And it does look big. Yes, compare to other cities it's not THAT clean, but it did look ok. There are a lot of Koreans and Russians there as far as I am concerned. Few foreign companies have business with companies there. It's around 6 hours by train away fromn Harbin. So if you feel like spending your days off somewhere out of the city you can always go there Smile

-cheekybabe

gerard49 · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 44 Location: Zhaoqing

Well folks,
having seen Shanghai and Beijing, I wouldn't go passed Jiangsu or Zheijiang provinces. Suzhou, Nanjing Yangzhou, Hangzhou are fabulous places to work. They offer western bars and restaurants, supermarkets where you can buy familar foodstuff, scenic tours and good schools, well government owned and run ones that is. The apartments are generally very good, even 5 star in some cases. See my photo suite at www. webshots.com and member name "gerardd49" or just search on "suzhou and teaching". Email me for more info

[email protected] . As far as I'm aware there are several positions in the Wuzhong district for next year.