Sam Merry

Holiday in Paradise Rigged Sam Merry

For seven weeks in the summer of 2016, Sam Merry and his wife, Liu Qiong Yao, crossed from Hong Kong airport to sell their first marital home of Dongguan, "The Manchester of China", in rich Guangdong Province, before travelling round China. This book recounts their experiences in an enigmatic country of "capitalism with socialist characteristics", minus freedom. It begins with in-depth analysis, backed by personal experience, of China's bastard capitalism from Deng to Xi Jinping, highlighting worsening problems of tightening dictatorship, pollution, corruption, inequality and oppression since Tiananmen, 1989. The diary, with scores of photographs, describes their journeys: first, beautiful Hong Kong's dazzling bays, skyscrapers and dizzy Peak views, while mindful of its parlous political situation vis-a-vis the Mainland. Then, the colourful holiday island of Fujian's Xiamen, its famous university and popular Buddhist temple; a ferry trip to the nearby ex-British colonial paradise of Gulangyu, where private motor transport is forbidden. This is followed by Shanghai, home of the first communist party in 1922 - a false date to accommodate the absent Mao - and famous Bund. Finally, historic Xian, home of Indian Buddhist texts, with impressive city wall, Terra Cotta Warriors, thriving Muslim Quarter, and Taoist temple. Back in Dongguan we get to know Chinese friends by visiting their various homes (including a fish farm, new high-rise and villa estate), impressive Dongguan Museum, and its new Metro. We also see bureaucracy at work in selling a flat, complete with finger prints on contracts, as well as Guangdong's majestic capital, Canton (Guangzhou).