The Chinese love numbers. We're good with numbers, and we're proud of this ability. The changes in our lives have all been about changing numbers. For example, it used to be that a household was considered lucky to own one television set. Nowadays, each home might have two or even three TVs. It used to be common to have three generations of one family living in a 550sqft apartment, but now, more and more families can afford to buy larger condominiums. Some people even have second homes.
This rising index shows our increasing prosperity, but it also brings with it specific challenges. For example, in the past, there were only five or six TV channels to choose from; now, there are 50 to 60. Television producers have to work harder to get the attention of the average viewer.
Another example: a couple of years ago, a woman claimed in her biography that she had had eight lovers. She gained instant notoriety. Nowadays, you have to have 80 lovers just to raise an eyebrow. What's more, you need famous names, not average Joes, in your diary to get noticed.
Niuniu has gone to a small village in Jiangxi province for an interview. She finds the villagers are obsessed with numbers. After learning that she worked briefly in the US after graduating from an American university, the village head asks her: 'Could you earn one million?'
'American dollars or yuan?'
'American dollars, of course.'