This paper focuses on the phenomenon of ShanZhai which currently prevails in China. The so-called phenomenon of ShanZhai starts with ShanZhai cell phones and spreads in China quickly through internet to such an extent that it shows up in every aspects...
This paper focuses on the phenomenon of ShanZhai which currently prevails in China. The so-called phenomenon of ShanZhai starts with ShanZhai cell phones and spreads in China quickly through internet to such an extent that it shows up in every aspects of the people’s life and gradually becomes a unique culture in China.
The word of ShanZhai seems not to be strange to Chinese people. This word originally refers to fortresses which were occupied by bandits or thieves and used by them to fight against the government authorities. Currently, this word primarily refers to a massive cultural phenomenon which develops by ways of copying, imitating or playing tricks on others, and in the nature of subculture with the characteristics of revel, deconstruction, anti-intellectualism and post-modernism. In the year of 2008, the phenomenon of Shanzhai spread across China, and before some people understood what it meant to be, Shanzhai products and other Shanzhai phenomenon already appeared all over China, for example, Shanzhai cell phones, Shanzhai make-ups, Shanzhai handbags, Shanzhai watches, Shanzhai wood floors, Shanzhai websites, Shanzhai celebrities and Shanzhai movies, etc.
With the development of technology, the categories of Shanzhai products are getting more and more, which involve almost every aspects of people’s life, including such electric products as cell phones, flat-screen TVs, autos, notebooks, MPS, also including drinks, detergents, instant noodles, even including McDonalds, KFC, and Pizza Hut. Among all of these Shanzhai products, Shanzhai cell phones are the most.
CCTV investigated and reported in June 2008 the Shanzhai cell phones in the city of Shenzhen, and on December 2, 2008, the News Program on CCTV also reported it, and as such, Shanzhai products were finally noticed by main stream media. In November of 2008, a Shanzhai street was found in Nanjing, which was occupied by Shanzhai LiNing, Shanzhai QuChenShi, Shanzhai Haagen-Dazs. In December 2008, Shanzhai CCTV Spring Festival Gala appeared. And from then on, Shanzhai products evolve from IT products to garments, food and drinks, and filming; from digital products to cultural products, from a pure economic activity to cultural phenomenon.
shanzhai products are created and spread by the young generation, primarily those who were born in the 80’s in last century. So, Shanzhai culture is also one of the showings that young people changed their ways of speaking.
The young generation, who grew up after China’s reform and opening up to the outside world, have their own way of speaking. Older generations, who are bound by thousands of years’Chinese traditions, express themselves by a serious and introversive way. After China’s reform and opening up to the outside world, cultural pluralism makes the young generations intend to grow up in an entertaining environment. The inconsistency between traditions and the speaking way of the young generations necessarily shocks the traditional way of speaking. And in the meantime, the young generations are faced with more pressure of survival and therefore they are forced to find a more convenient way of speaking to get themselves relieved. The Shanzhai culture has brought this effect in some degree. Shanzhai culture may make them relaxed and show their own personalities. When the young recipients are getting more and more, and more and more people accept the entertaining ways, Shanzhai becomes hot in the internet.
In the age of quick consuming, the cropping up of Shanzhai products across the country is a showing that consumers come to recognize the Shanzhai products in some degree. In a society of cultural pluralism, Shanzai products have satisfied the various needs of people. No matter what motivates the emergency of shanzhai products, imitation or innovation, Shanzhai culture, which originates in the lower class of people, is a supplement to the mainstream culture, and reflects the shortcoming of the mainstream culture. This is also the reason why Shanzhai products are viable and prosperous. However, if people want to develop shanzhai products and shanzhai culture, reform and local-based innovation must be made, and laws and ethical rules must be followed. Only in this way could Shanzhai products be well developed; otherwise, it would only be a temporary phenomenon in the process of China’s economic transmission, and would be forgotten soon.