Considering Chengdu

What we aim to discover in our stories in China is the how the ever-widening generational divide affects people and society. There's a split between an old and a new way of seeing the world. To learn about how this split plays out we might very well have stayed in the biggest cities -- the ones you hear about often. But in Shanghai and Beijing we have excellent, full-time reporters.

So we settled on Chengdu. It's big enough to have a little bit of everything, yet small enough to give us time to feel we know it. The best figure we can find on its metropolitan-area size is 11-million. And it's growing everyday; a magnet pulling people in from farms and villages with the lure of an easier and more exciting life.

Sudden and drastic changes to the skyline of Chengdu are the result of new projects underway.

Andrea Hsu, NPR

Chengdu draws tourists as well. People come from all over the country and the world to marvel at nearby majestic mountains, walk through stunning bamboo forests in a park to the south and to get a look at pandas.

Continue reading "Considering Chengdu" »

2:59 PM ET | 03-31-2008 | permalink

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Frequently Asked Questions About Chengdu Diary

What is Chengdu Diary?
Chengdu Diary is the blog companion to NPR's coverage of the earthquake that rocked southwestern China in May 2008. We returned to Chengdu and to Sichuan Province nearly one year after the quake, adding more entries to this diary as we reported on the area's recovery from the disaster.

What is All Things Considered?
All Things Considered is a daily newsmagazine program that has been the flagship program of NPR since it began in 1971. The show is hosted by Robert Siegel, Melissa Block and Michele Norris.

What is the purpose of the blog?
Chengdu Diary is a place for anyone curious about our work in China to communicate with our staff as they assemble material for broadcast. We welcome both questions about China, our program and this blog. If you have insight into the places we are exploring or China as a whole, this is where you let that be known.

Who can comment?
Anyone, anywhere.

Can I only comment about the China earthquake?
Please keep it close to that topic or the editorial process involved in our work in China.

Do you have rules about what can or cannot be said in the comments?
We sure do. Please see our guidelines for comments.

Who writes the blog?
You'll see comments from members of our team, which includes a host and a producer from All Things Considered, NPR's China correspondents, and translators.

How often do you post new entries to the blog?
Posting for this blog has ceased with the end of our special coverage in May 2009.

Can I suggest show topics on the blog?
We welcome suggestions, especially from people with experience in China and particularly Sichuan Province.

What if I want to e-mail the show privately?
The best way to e-mail the show is to use the "Contact Us" form. You can use it to give us general input, ask us questions that don't pertain to specific posts, and offer comments that you'd rather keep off the blog itself.

Will blog comments be read on the air?
It's possible -- all public comments are fair game for air. If you'd like your comment to be kept private, send it to us via the "Contact Us" form and specify that it's not for air.

Can I link to your blog?
Absolutely!

Will you link to my blog?
Probably not, unless it's related to something we're doing on the show.

Do I need to sign up to be eligible to post comments?
Yes, you need to register as a member of the NPR community.

8:01 AM ET | 03-30-2008 | permalink

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