"Beijing is a strange city. It is a high-pressure environment politically, but it is a city that loves thought, that loves freedom, and that is very tolerant," says Wang Dong, a Beijing radio DJ. His remarks reflect the worldview of many in the city, who value culture over material gain, opposed to, say, Shanghai, where economics is king and life is materialistic.
「北京是個奇怪的城市，政治高壓下，卻特別喜歡思考、喜歡自由，也有很強的包容性」，北京文藝台 DJ 王東的說法代表了許多北京人的價值觀──對自我或文化的追求遠勝於對物質追求，不似上海以經濟掛帥、生活態度普遍務實。