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30 Years of Reform and Opening Up, What Has Beijing Won

The past three decades were crucial for modern China, a time when political chaos brought by the notorious Cultural Revolution (1966–76) came to an end and when economic prosperity resulting from the country’s reform and opening (gaige kaifang) began. At the heart of China’s modernization drive is Beijing, always in step with the country’s transition from a planned economy to a “socialist market economy,” where market forces are used to implement many economic decisions.

China’s capital has often been considered a cultural and a political centre. Indeed, major national political conferences are always convened in Beijing; foreign visitors seldom neglect such world-renowned sites as the Summer Palace and the Great Wall; they enjoy a taste of typical Beijing food, especially roast duck. But how many realize that Beijing’s rise as a national economic powerhouse is following a transitional path similar to the nation as a whole?

With the founding of new China in 1949 and to the end of the 1970s, the development of heavy industries, particularly iron and steel and associated industries, dominated Beijing’s economic thinking and policies; the goal was to surpass western economic performance. But this strategy gave rise to an irrational economic structure that was tilted towards production instead of consumption and the excessive use of resources and environmental pollution. Beijing became one of the most polluted cities in the world.

Realizing the unsustainable nature of this programme, policy-makers have shifted their development focus from heavy industry and manufacturing to the tertiary industry since the 1980s, while also pursuing high-tech and clean industries. Lu Hao, former vice-mayor of Beijing and first secretary of the Communist Youth League, said in 2006 that Beijing would develop its high-tech and new technology sectors and properly guide a transition to modern manufacturing practices. Key industries in Beijing would get more involved in the biomedical, auto-making, equipment, new petrochemical materials and electronics industries. The former mayor of Beijing, Wang Qishan, now a vice-premier, said that Beijing would discourage highly polluting industries and encourage cultural-sector development. As a result, Beijing is discouraging industrial paper-making, coke-making and the textile, chemical, cement and electroplating industries, while encouraging software, finance, research and development, consulting and information services industries.

Nothing epitomizes Beijing’s zeal in developing its high-end manufacturing sector than the fall of the once famous Peony TV firm and the rise of the Beijing Hyundai auto-making company.

Beijingers were once proud of their local TV brand, Peony, which acquired state-of-the-art production lines from Japan in the early 1980s, when most Chinese did not own a TV set. When supply of almost all commodities fell short of demand, the TV-maker reported high growth rates because of its relatively advanced products; it won half of the national market share. In the 1980s, it was a dream of many Chinese families—not just Beijingers—to own a Peony TV set.

Even in the early 1990s, when competition grew and more TV-makers came to the market, the Peony brand could still command about 20 percent of the national market. But a lack of innovation, coupled with the rise of more powerful and dynamic TV-makers such as Changhong in southwestern China, ultimately led the Beijing company into the red. It gradually lost its lustre, and after 2000 it was obscure.

Peony’s downfall did not cast a long shadow. Aware that TV-making was no longer highly profitable, Beijing shifted to higher-end, greater-added-value manufacturing. In 2002, South Korea’s auto-making giant, Hyundai, came on the scene. The joint venture soon established itself as a national brand with its fashionable designs and competitive prices. Now the company has a more than 5 percent national market share, a big achievement, given the short history of the company, analysts said.

With the bursting of IT bubbles in the West in early 2000, the domestic IT industry has also been affected, reducing its proportion as an industry in the overall economy of Beijing. Still, the tertiary industry, which accommodates more labour and is cleaner than heavy industry, developed rapidly from 1978 to 2003 with an annual average growth rate of 13.2 percent, 4.4 percentage points higher than heavy industrial expansion. In 1994, the contribution of the tertiary industry to municipal economic growth outweighed that of industry for the first time. By 2006, Beijing’s tertiary industry accounted for more than 70 percent of the municipal economy, reaching levels reported in developed countries. It employs 71 percent of all the labour in Beijing, leading the nation in this category.

The prosperity of the tertiary industry is revealed in many ways: Beijing now holds more than 10,000 art, musical and dancing shows every year, with one-third of them by overseas troupes. For Beijingers who used to “enjoy”—if we can use the word—the dull politically tailored traditional operas of the Cultural Revolution, the international art shows such as those seen now are simply dazzling.

The MICE industry (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions), as part of the tertiary industry, is coming to the fore, ready to serve a growing number of branch and representative offices of multinationals and international organizations operating in Beijing. Aware of the importance of the Chinese economy, many multinationals have chosen to hold their annual corporate meetings in the capital; its several hundred exhibitions every year are increasing by more than 10 percent a year, and Beijing now accounts for about half the nation’s exhibition activities and its major exhibition halls have been booked in advance for the coming two years.

The modern tertiary industry has become the major destination for foreign capital in recent years. After China acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2001, rental and commercial services joined the tertiary industry in reporting the most foreign investment, according to official statistics. In 2005, the tertiary industry received 65.5 percent of all foreign investment in Beijing. Beijing’s role as the national political and cultural centre has led to a rapid increase in foreign investment in its tertiary industry, analysts said.

With its economy properly restructured, Beijing seeks to reallocate its economic resources by creating various functional districts.

Under its 11th Five-Year Plan for 2006–10, Beijing will concentrate on improving the Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park, Beijing Financial Street, the Beijing Central Business District (CBD), the Olympic Center area, the Beijing Economic and Technology Development Zone and the Shunyi Linkong Economic Zone. The GDP (gross domestic product) these industrial districts created in 2006 accounted for more than 40 percent of the city’s total.

With the end of the Olympic Games, Beijing turned its attention to improving the development of so-called “new towns” in Tongzhou and Shunyi districts and the Yizhuang area in Daxing District, an emerging high-tech industrial belt in Southeastern Beijing that was farmland only 15 years ago.

Beijing is also planning to form a city belt with neighbouring Tianjin Municipality and some major cities in Hebei Province to take advantage of regional economic networks. They will cooperate in the fields of transport, water use, energy, tourism, technology, education, culture, medical and sports activities to promote development of the region as a whole, according to Yang Kaizhong, director of the Regional Economic Research Institute of Peking University.

Opening Arms

The restructuring of its economy and the reform of its geographic thinking and planning have laid a solid foundation for Beijing to attract foreign investors. At a 2002 meeting, the secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC, Liu Qi, vowed to open up all business fields to foreign investors except those that concern national security. The 11th Five-Year Plan suggests that the city has upheld this decision by attracting more investment to high-end industries. The city will encourage multinationals to establish research and development centres and branches in Beijing, according to the plan.

Encouraged by Beijing’s improving infrastructure and favourable policies, more multinationals are arriving in Beijing and expanding their businesses in the city. In the years after China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, two business applications by foreign enterprises were approved every day, on average. Beijing has become the city with most foreign enterprises or representative offices in the country, according to the municipal foreign trade officials.

In 1978, there were only two joint ventures and no foreign companies in this city. In 1980, the first foreign-invested company, an aviation food provider, was established in Beijing, marking the start of Beijing’s drive to attract foreign investors.

By the end of 2007, 203 of the world’s top-500 multinationals had invested in Beijing. They included seven financial institutions, such as Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan, which have established locally incorporated banks; IT giants such as Microsoft and Google; consulting firms, such as McKinsey; and big names such as GE and Samsung. International media companies, such as Reuters, CNN, The Associated Press, the BBC and most of the world’s leading newspapers and news Web sites have established local bureaus or reporting teams in Beijing.

Foreign investment has been concentrated on real estate development, social services and manufacturing. They account for more than 80 percent of the foreign investment in the city. Real estate has received the most foreign direct investment, accounting for about 30 percent of all investment.

However, in areas that need foreign capital most badly, such as agriculture, scientific and technological development, education and transportation, there was not much foreign investment. As a result, the municipal government has put forward a principle of “improving the quality of foreign capital…encouraging foreign investment in the modern services industry, modern agriculture and modern manufacturing.” The authorities have also vowed to hire high-calibre professionals and to import the latest technologies, according to its 11th Five-Year Plan.

Investment Prospects

Economists are carefully weighing the economic consequences of hosting the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games; some worry of an "Olympic hangover" or an economic slow-down because of heavy municipal spending and investment in the run up to the Games.

Global financial turmoil and possible declines in world economic growth are also causing for concern.

From another perspective, however, Beijing may well escape the worst of this round of global economic turmoil because frightened international investors may choose to invest in relatively stable economies, such as China’s. Despite a slowdown, the country’s economic growth came to 10.4 percent in the first half of 2008, and it is expected to be about 10 percent in coming years.

Some beneficiaries of the Olympic economy may hit the skids, but the Olympic effect is expected to benefit some other industrial sectors, such as information, sports, travel, culture and exhibitions, which could combine to serve as new growth points of the national economy.

Xu Xi, deputy head of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Finance, said that the city will encourage the development of culture- and sports-related industries after the Olympics. Municipal coffers will earmark special subsidies to support investment projects in those areas.

The Games organizers have created some unique Olympic heritage sites for the host city, which will help it promote its local travel, exhibition and sports industries. A boost in the city's exports and internal trade, for example, may surface within three years after the Games.

Beijing has also decided to improve its infrastructure to create a more favourable environment for investors. For example, it will extend its subway network to improve transportation.

Beijing’s per capita GDP rose to US$7,654 in 2007 and is expected to exceed $8,000 in 2008. At this stage of development, economists agree that Beijing, like other cities with similar per capita GDPs in other countries, will enjoy sustained economic growth in the coming years.

A cleaner Beijing with comprehensive infrastructure and favourable policies, including governmental support for encouraged and other industries, is set to attract the attention of more international investors, analysts said.

改革开放30年：我们的共同记忆

编写/薛京晶

从绿蓝灰到五彩缤纷穿名牌

曾几何时，在北京市民的衣柜里，绿、蓝、黑、灰等几种颜色的衣服占据了绝对的“统治地位”。当时，一些西方国家甚至用带有嘲讽的口气将穿着不分男女老少的中国人形容为“蚂蚁”。

20世纪70年代末80年代初，随着改革开放带来的观念变更，人们开始重新打量起自己的穿着，深埋在人们心里几十年对“美”的追求，开始在服饰上得以释放。　　  

在改革开放最初的10年间，关于服装的每一个动作几乎都会产生“一石激起千层浪”的效果。家住在北京一座古香古色四合院中的的退休工人季老可谓是讲述这段历史最具权威的人了，退休前曾是北京某服装厂技术工人的季老，在回忆起北京市民服装风格的变迁时充满了感慨，他认为，是皮尔丒卡丹揭开了中国服装的“红盖头”。“记得是在1979年春天，当时法国著名时装设计师皮尔·卡丹在北京民族文化宫举行了一场服装表演，其实在当时被称为‘服装观摩会’。参加观摩会的人员必须通过审查，座位也一律对号入座，并记录姓名，我当时有幸就弄到了一张观摩会门票。”季老提起当年的情形依然是满脸自豪。“在观摩会上，当模特上台展示服装时，全场观众都被‘震’了！尽管皮尔·卡丹已经考虑到了中国当时的国情，但是台上那些露着大腿，扭胯摆臀的外国模特还是让台下的中国观众遭遇到了前所未有的猛烈冲击。台上衣着的多姿多彩更是与台下的一片‘革命色’形成了鲜明对比。”据季老介绍，当时这场观摩会还仅限于中国外贸界与服装界的官员和技术人员参加。到第二年也就是1980年11月，中国内地首支时装模特队亮相上海的时候，则引起了全国性的轰动。随后是一浪接着一浪——1983年底，中国彻底取消了已经延续几十年的布票，服装改革的呼声迅速响遍全国。

“在当时，以最快速度升温的要数西服男装。这还是源于1984年的一部电影——《街上流行红裙子》。影片讲述的是发生在20世纪80年代初上海大丰棉纺厂的故事，来自乡下的女工阿香听说上海的姑娘有比赛穿漂亮衣服的习惯，便委托卖服装的个体户朋友帮自己买来漂亮的红绸裙穿在身上，以此抗拒女工们对她‘乡下人’的讥笑。当时工厂中的劳动模范陶星儿很喜欢这件红裙子，悄悄在自己身上比试。在同伴们的怂恿下，陶星儿终于鼓起勇气，穿着红裙子走进了公园中的人群……该影片在当时大受追捧，如果说那时候假如有现在的‘生日许愿’之类的说法，那么拥有一件红裙子就是当时年轻女性最大的‘生日愿望’之一。”季老说起这些往事如数家珍。

回望整个20世纪80年代，一度“引领风骚”的还有喇叭裤。这种上细下宽、把臀部绷得圆滚滚的裤子在中国刚出现时，被绝大部分中国人视为“不男不女，颠倒乾坤的恶物”。当时的一首流行歌曲《艳粉街》中唱道：“有一天，一个长头发的大哥哥在艳粉街中走过，他的喇叭裤时髦又特别，他因此惹上了祸，被街道的大妈押送游街……”尽管如此，却似乎没有什么可以阻止喇叭裤在中国的“冒险”经历。

1989年底，一位波兰记者到中国访问，在亲历了北京市民服装发生的巨大变化后撰文写道：“几年或十几年前，北京是一座灰色的城市，甚至可以称之为‘世界的农村’，人们的穿着单调统一，毫无个性可言……如今，满眼皆是穿着、打扮入时的姑娘，使北京的街道有一种令人应接不暇的特殊美感。”

到了20世纪90年代，文化衫、蝙蝠衫等服装还曾掀起过一阵热浪。进入21世纪以来，虽然这样具有全国性效应的单项热点几乎已经销声匿迹了，但这也恰恰说明了人们对着装的追求已经转向个性化、多元化。大家开始不再只是简单、盲目地追随“流行”，而是选择自己喜欢并且适合自己的衣着打扮。

如今，拥有几件名牌衣服对于中国百姓来说不再是什么新鲜事。随着环保话题的日渐兴起，质地天然，色调、款式贴近自然的服饰越来越受青睐，各种各样的生态服装也悄然面市，人们对服装的审美已经发生了颠覆性的转型。“只要我喜欢，没有什么不可以”的着装心态已成为当今中国人着装的中心意识。随着人们的衣柜逐渐变的五彩缤纷起来，一些女性朋友开始不得不为换季清理衣柜而感到烦恼。20世纪90年代，由于工作原因到北京定居的陈女士如今感叹地说：“‘一衣多季’是过去时了，现在是‘一季多衣’的时代了！你看，我现在锻炼身体有运动装，上班有正装，旅游又有休闲装……我先生的衣服也不少，衣柜里塞得满满的，每到换季时都要折腾很久。”在北京工作的最初几年，陈女士每次回老家探亲时都会把一些旧衣服当作“好东西”带回去赠送给亲朋好友，“现在农村也讲究了，旧衣服已经拿不出手了。”简单的一句话却印证了人们生活质量的巨大转变。

不仅如此，改革开放30年以来，整个中国的服装产业也发生了时代性的骤变。中华全国工商联纺织服装商会副会长谭安曾这样总结改革开放之初中国服装业的四张“扭曲面孔”：“从产业地位看，是不如大头针能上国家计划‘大本’的尴尬面孔；从产业形象看，是老太太戴着老花镜就能干的低能面孔；从产品形象看，是被外国人讥笑为上不了大雅之堂的地摊货面孔；从产业链看，是消费者对所谓资产阶级生活方式仍‘心有余悸’慌恐面孔。”

如今，中国既是世界上最大的服装消费国，也是最大的服装生产国。不仅如此，中国还拥有一批国际知名的服装设计师，如张肇达、郭培、梁子、罗峥等。正如法国时装工会主席Didier Grumbach先生所说：“中国在经历了经济的起飞后，如今已经到了由一个提供低成本加工的国家向一个真正的时装大国过渡的标志性时刻。”

从填饱肚子到吃出文化和健康

2008年的春节，在北京居住的王老师家节日餐桌上少了往年的鸡鸭鱼肉影子，取而代之的是新鲜蔬菜、海鲜和素食。王老师说：“过去，鸡、鸭、鱼、肉是好菜、大菜，现在由于脂肪含量高已经被健康的饮食观念淘汰了。如今，老百姓讲究的是要吃出文化和健康。孩子们也常提醒我：一日三餐要讲究搭配，才能营养到位；肥肉最好少吃，多喝酸奶易消化吸收；鸡蛋一天不要超过一个；早晚吃点水果可抗衰老……”

王老师在回想起20世纪50年代家中的生活时说：“那时侯，７角钱1斤的肉每个星期只能吃上一回。到60—70年代凭票供应时，光有钱还不行，还得拿上户口本，按家里人口限制供应。那时家里的粮食都要称好了计划着吃，否则就会青黄不接。”随着改革开放带来的市场供应丰富，以前种类繁多的票证也逐渐被取消。“粮票是最后一个取消的票证。在取消票证那段时期，1斤粮票开始可以换10个鸡蛋，后来10斤粮票换1个鸡蛋，我都一直没舍得换。现在家里攒下来的粮票早成了给孙女讲历史的‘文物’了。”谈着自家“餐桌”发生的变化，王老师仿佛回到了那个年代的生活一样。

“现在逢年过节，大多数人的家里都不会准备太多年货，因为菜市场、超市天天有新鲜的供应。有时儿女们还会在饭店订一桌饭，我们两口子也不用在厨房忙活了。”幸福舒心的笑容映在王老师的脸上。　   

民以食为天。同样是吃，而现在与30年前相比，真可谓天壤之别。相关统计数据显示：1980年，北京市城镇居民人均食品类支出占消费总支出的比重（恩格尔系数）为50％以上，现在已经降到40％以下。20世纪80年代初期，北京市居民生活的主要问题仍然是如何“吃饱饭”，而进入21世纪后，人们开始追求低热量、低脂肪、全面营养和健康科学的饮食生活方式。2007年，北京市城镇居民的人均食品类支出比1998年平均增长90％以上，而食品消费中增长速度最快的是新鲜乳品。

从破烂平房到漂亮楼房

居住在北京某住宅小区的赵大爷已经76岁高龄了，他在退休前曾是北京某化工总厂的工程师。据赵大爷介绍，他是在2003年时买下的目前居住的这套三室一厅房子，总面积有142平方米，其中仅客厅面积就有将近40平方米。回忆起自己刚住进来时的情景，赵大爷感慨万分：“刚搬来那会儿，我连续3天睡不着觉，那叫一个兴奋，真没想到，到老了还能住上这么好的房子，我从心里感谢国家的改革开放，感谢党和政府实行的房改好政策。”阳光通过宽大的落地窗纱幔，斑斑点点洒满客厅的每一个角落，也洒在赵大爷饱经沧桑，但又洋溢着幸福与满足的脸上……

说起改革开放给北京住房带来的变化，赵大爷的话匣子一下打开了。他说：“我亲身经历了这种翻天覆地的变化。在1978年以前，是居者‘忧’其屋；到了20世纪初，初步实现了居者‘有’其屋；现在，政府帮助我们继续奋斗，向着居者‘优’其屋迈进。”早在20世纪70年代，赵大爷一家祖孙三代共8口人，住在总面积不到24平方米的2间平房里。赵大爷说：“那个年代提倡的是‘先生产，后生活’和‘高积累，低消费’，住房建设的速度远远跟不上城市人口增长的速度。1978年，北京市人均住房面积仅4.2平方米。后来赵大爷的儿子结婚，家里实在住不下，只好就在屋前搭了个小棚子，面积仅能放下一张双人床，还不如电视剧《贫嘴张大民的幸福生活》里张大民一家的居住条件。屋里基本上没有家具，换洗的衣服、被褥就放在几个纸箱子里。天气好时，可以在外边做饭，遇到阴天下雨和下雪，只好把生好火的炉子搬进屋内做饭，房间里充满了呛人的油烟气味。”　　

那时，城镇居民解决住房还停留在“等、靠、要”三个字上，就是等国家建房、靠组织分房、要单位给房。赵大爷也是这样，期盼着单位分房能尽快轮上自己，而他所在的国营化工企业里，不知有多少人在排队等房。对于分房的情景，赵大爷至今记忆犹新：“只要有一点风吹草动，送礼、递条子的，等结婚娶媳妇的，拿菜刀威胁的……单位房管科的门槛都快被踩破了。其实，等待分房对大多数人来说是水中望月，很多时候是没有结果的，可人们还是在天天盼、月月想、年年等。”赵大爷一家就在那2间平房里住了20多年。他说，当时自己特别羡慕那些住楼房的人。尽管那时北京的楼房都是一样的5层灰色居民楼，除了极少数的“单元楼”外，大多数楼房是没有独立厨房和卫生间的简易楼、筒子楼。　　

到了20世纪80年代，“新住房时代”开始了。首先是住房政策出现了分水岭：一方面，“福利房”仍占主导地位；另一方面，原先分配的“福利房”以及各式各样的自建公房折价转卖给了使用者。也就是在1989年，赵大爷将单位分给他的2间平房按照自己的工龄以及扣除房屋折旧，花了1万多元买了下来。　　

转眼到了1998年。以中国国务院《关于进一步深化城镇住房改革加快住房建设的通知》为标志，住房制度改革全面展开。住房实物分配被取消，实行住房分配货币化。许多人的住房轨迹就此发生了根本性的改变。

2000年，赵大爷住的2间小平房遇到拆迁，得到了36万元的拆迁款，他的5个子女又凑了30万元，再加上赵大爷多年的积蓄，总共花了70多万元，买下了现在这套南北通透的新楼房，实现了他多年住楼房的梦想。赵大爷说：“买下房子一年后，当我拿到红彤彤的房产本时，激动得连话都说不出来。我总以为自己这一辈子是‘无产’阶级，没承想到老还又变成了‘有产’阶级。”听得出，老人爽朗的笑声是发自内心的。

住房是人类生存最基本的需求之一。“居者有其屋”是中华民族上千年的梦想。唐朝大诗人杜甫就有“安得广厦千万家，大庇天下寒士俱欢颜”的著名诗句。虽然现在还不能说“俱欢颜”，但30年来，广大人民群众的住房条件得到极大改善是不争的事实。

早在2002年，北京市就做出了“力争在全国率先实现现代化时，5年后人均住房使用面积提高到20平方米”的承诺。当时，北京市人均住房面积是18.2平方米，5年后要达到20平方米，如何实现这个目标？曾任北京市发展计划委员会主任的沈宝昌说：“像北京这样有上千万人口的特大城市，要达到这个目标是很了不起的事情。人均使用面积20平方米是全市的平均数字，不可能是每个人都能达到的，有些家庭会超过这个数字，有些会接近，还有些会有差距。所以下一步政府加大对住房困难户的扶持，其中一点就是加大经济适用房的建设力度和提供更多的廉租房，满足中低收入群众的购房需求。”　

一组官方统计数据见证了近几年北京人住房面积的增大：2000年北京市人均住房使用面积为16.6平方米，2001年为17.61平方米，2002年为18.2平方米，2003年为18.7平方米，2004年为19.1平方米，2005年为19.5平方米，2006年为20.06平方米。而到了2007年，北京市人均住房使用面积达到了20.75平方米。也就是说，近5年北京人均住房使用面积年均增长3.1%。2007年比1978年翻了两番还多。

这些简单的数据凝聚了几代人的期盼和梦想，其中也折射出中国的改革是成功的，中国的房改也是成功的。因为，老百姓从中真正得到了好处，老百姓的房子真的大起来。人民安居才能乐业，乐业才能使国家发展，国家发展才能社会安定、和谐。

从自行车到私家车进百姓家

30年前，北京的上班族们骑着色彩单调的自行车在街道上穿行，数量不多的公交车每遇到风雨天常常人满为患，而拥有一辆私家轿车代步，更是很多人想都不敢想的事情。30年后的今天，北京的交通工具已是花样繁多：知名品牌轿车会不经意间从人们身边招摇而过，出租车招手即停，私家车的数量更是以惊人的速度与日俱增。回首交通工具的变迁，北京市民品出了昔日清贫生活的苦涩，也品出了今日改革开放成果的甘甜。

“30年前，北京街上的汽车很少，自行车还是每个家庭的主要交通工具，人们为了坐公交车经常要走两三站地。去一个远些的地方经常要倒两三次车。飞机更是只有极少数人才能见到，更别说乘坐了。”谈起交通工具的变迁，61岁的北京个体户李云生感慨不已。

20世纪70年代，李云生参加工作后，最想要的就是一辆自行车。当时，自行车与缝纫机、手表并称为“三大件”，地位无异于现在的私家车。而且购买自行车都得凭票，每个单位每年最多能分到十几张购车票，所以能有幸分到票的职工自然不多。“那时候如果家里能有一辆崭新的自行车是令所有人羡慕的。”李云生说，当时人们上下班的交通工具，除了公交车外，绝大多数都骑自行车或步行。一般人对汽车是没有概念的，买车？那时连做梦都不敢想。

20世纪70年代末，永久、凤凰、飞鸽等品牌的自行车开始风靡中国。其中，牌子最响的是永久牌和凤凰牌。“那时侯，拥有一辆自行车的感觉不亚于现在有辆轿车的感觉，尤其是骑‘永久’就像开奔驰一样有面子，而一辆‘凤凰’就像现在有一辆皇冠轿车一样。”李云生完全沉浸在了对往日生活的回忆中。　　

到了20世纪80年代，摩托车开始逐渐成为人们代步的新宠。当时，拥有摩托车是家庭富裕的象征，骑着一辆摩托车游走于北京的大街小巷无疑会引来不少羡慕的眼光。“当时太扎眼了，我是北京第一代玩摩托车的人。”李云生脸上洋溢着无比的自豪。1980年，他托广州的朋友花1900多元买了一辆免税的铃木牌50CC摩托车。“那时骑摩托车，比现在开奔驰、宝马感觉还要好。”李云生笑着说，当时我觉得生活很富足，当然现在看起来会觉得自己也太容易满足了。从摩托车出现开始，中国人的出行方式被大大改变了。1980年后，摩托车开始逐步进入家庭，这是私家车走进百姓生活的序曲。

如今，自行车、摩托等往日“高人气”的交通工具正被层出不穷的新型交通工具所取代，老百姓出门“打的”也已成家常便饭，北京大街小巷明显增多的公交车更是让百姓的出行四通八达。而更大的变化则是私家车的逐年增多，为人们的生活“安”上了车轮。截至2008年9月底，根据北京市公安局公安交通管理局公布的数据显示：目前北京机动车保有量接近350万辆，且保持日均1200辆的增幅，私人购车已经成为汽车销售领域的生力军。

在北京市某家眼镜商店工作的杨先生就是一位“有车族”，今年刚26岁的他在2年时间里已经换了3辆车了，并且还拥有一家自己的洗车场。杨先生现在开的是他在2008年4月花6万元买下的新车，而车刚一到手，他又花了1万多元对爱车进行了改装：尾翼、包围、轮毂……白色的小轿车摇身一变充满了赛车动感。“我坐过的第一辆轿车是我父亲单位的。不过，父亲曾经告诉过我，那辆轿车是用600斤猪肉换回来的。”正是因为父亲说的“600斤猪肉”这一句话，小小年纪的他清楚理解了轿车的珍贵性。因为，他当时最大的梦想是“能有丁点肉吃就好了”。“现在汽车已经走进了百姓的日常生活，汽车也不完全是身份和地位的象征了。”杨先生认为，居民收入持续增加、道路交通条件改善、城区面积不断扩大以及消费环境日渐成熟是私家车越来越热的主因。“现在我不用挤公交车，周末还可以带着女朋友出去兜风，出行真是方便多了。”

30年回眸伫望，有无限的感动让人难以释怀，在人们共同的记忆中，那些已经消失或正在消失，看似亲切熟悉却又疏远陌生的一切，都将是可以作为永恒见证的墓志与碑铭，都将会成为一声声幸福的吟唱和一曲曲对改革开放最为动听的赞歌，由此折射出社会和生活的巨大变化。