Explore China's AMAZING Urban Villages and HANDSHAKE BUILDINGS | UNSEEN on YOUTUBE WOW

[@Eric_Garrison]

The little ‘ ‘ around the word slum should be an indication that I might not believe that these are slums. Also the content should also give big hints. Cmon people, learn to read and learn a little bit of media literacy as well. Maddening.

[@Time4Peace]

Not to worry! You are doing fine. The content is clear. A slum has the hallmark of poverty, crime and a sense of hopelessness. Those places may need sprucing up but they aren't slum.

[@Is_it_rwanda]

I'm so glad you came back to this topic! "Slum" is correct, in that it's one of the most comfortable and luxurious "slums" you can imagine. It's been a few months, and one of the best intros to Shenzhen I could ask for.

[@sweetorange2455]

It’s medical herb healing not prostitution.

[@Eric_Garrison]

@@sweetorange2455 ah yes, no prostitution here at all.

[@JimHoh3]

​@@sweetorange2455This expat KZbinr does not even understand Chinese language well enough to discern various business nature, and accused normal business as a brothel without evidence. A very irresponsible public media. Poor owner who practices Chinese herbal medicine being smeared as hooker business. If I were the business owner knowing the existence of this type of expat, I would protest to my government of not letting this type of Western Governments propagandist come to China to smear the good credit of my business. This expat owes an apology to the people living here, and shameful of him lacking the professional integrity.

[@debbywang3369]

I really like it when you zip the backpack for that boy, he said " Thank you" in English and you replied with " 不用谢“ in Chinese, very cute :-)

[@finhas8865]

And the boy greeting him with "How are you" first 😅

[@yoongzy]

The amazing thing is the tiny alleys are quite clean!

[@kkyangkk]

20 years ago ,in my villages there were trashes everywhere.the elevator disfunction all the time .Now every things has changed.The living condition has improved.Except some older people spit on the street, there is really Nothing do I want to complain.

[@suckmemore]

@@kkyangkk bro, enough negative bs from cnn already, no need more input from you anymore! ha.........................

[@judychi3313]

Yes, I am really surprised to see no trash in those narrow alleys!

[@SL-je4ut]

Very clean indeed. 👍👍👍

[@黄军-h1v]

黎明即起，洒扫庭除。 这是中国人的传统教育。 只要是生活没有太大困难，这个就是中国人基本的生活准则。

[@sight-emmajean]

It’s so clean! That’s not a slum. Just low income living. Perfectly respectable.

[@Eric_Garrison]

@@sight-emmajean you cracked the code

[@misanthropyunhinged]

@@Eric_Garrison there's no prostitution there, don't post propaganda.

[@RandomBb56]

@@misanthropyunhingedthere definitely is

[@rexxsade6425]

exactly, its clean and no criminals to steal the bikes parked outside

[@cesarfernandezlopez5063]

LOW INCOME? I THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS EQUAL ON A COMMUNIST COUNTRY LOL BUT YES < CLEAN < NOT RUBBISH < LITTER < FILTH < NO UGLY GRAFFITI ANYWHERE < BEAUTIFUL MURALS INSTEAD < RESPECTFUL AND WELL BEHAVED SCHOOL CHILDREN , NO HOMELESS , I LIKE THAT , LOTS OF SECURITY CAMERAS TOO LOL , BUT THE WEST IS THE SAME ... CAMERAS EVERYWHERE ... LOTS OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY LOL >> I LiKE THAT TOO... VILLAGE FOR ME

[@suncarus897]

In China, we call this kind of area "urban villages". They are actually old towns that are gradually surrounded by cities during the rapid expansion of large cities. They cannot be demolished and rebuilt for new buildings due to ownership or financial reasons. These areas are close to the metropolis and look crowded and shabby, but the prices and services inside are very cheap. I live next to an urban village. I usually go to the urban village for haircuts and market. Cheaper than large supermarkets.

[@JimmyNeo-wr6wn]

Absolutely true , and agreed .

[@amershahzad2254]

He is like manded of western leader like Trump Biden Meloni etc who can not bear the leadership of other then them

[@angelafariscal8020]

I go downtown LA for haircuts the Chinese salon are way cheaper where I live charge 35 dollars versus 12 dollar’s.

[@maxsecrest]

I love parts of town where I can walk everywhere and not have to worry about cars

[@yeahczy]

And i DON'T think that is slum

[@peterlai9018]

The alley is very tidy and clean!!! Even Hong Kong's alley can't be compared!

[@LowenKM]

Yep, and remarkable to be able to see these kinda areas beyond the 'beaten path' and the more popular urban areas mostly intended for tourists. BTW, just stumbled onto your channel and love your exploratory style, this is definitely my kinda travel... Molto Grazie! ✌️👍

[@a9udn9u-vanced]

Your video will become one of those "streets of XXX from 2024" videos in 100 years. People will watch it and appreciate the retro vibes in it.

[@jimkuan8493]

Even the stairs in these dark alley building are super clean. Zero trash.

[@fredfrond6148]

No homeless, no crime, clean streets not a bad place to live.

[@suckmemore]

cnn: fake! ha...................................

[@alcedob.5850]

It's the future the communists want you to live in! No cars, no highways, no endless fields of unsustainable single-family homes... So unamerican

[@忠實粉絲-r5m]

that's why the USA is unhappy with China for well disciplined and living conditions

[@louisel4839]

@@忠實粉絲-r5myes so jealous

[@dirtyfighters7751]

LOL there exist so many homeless people in China. Entire sidewalks and street avenues are often flooded with homeless children and their parents eating rice on the floor, eating leaves off of bushes, eating grass, and living under bridges. In addition to all the men and women who sell their bodies to richer people to scrape a buck. Chinese people in general earn way less than minimum wage workers in practically every first world nation, it’s not the tropical paradise everyone thinks all because some of their cities are nice to look at.

[@Helghast73]

I’d not call the area a slum at all, it’s compact, crowded and the homes have extended themselves onto the street but, it’s clean very clean. You’ve quite a lot of areas in london that would be embarrassed at how clean it is there 😂 It looks a lot like parts of HK and totally get why those areas are great for street photography. Where would I like to live, a bit of both I suppose, I do love a lot of the modern architecture but you can’t beat convenient living either right. Growing up and living in London it has similarities especially with how areas that are being redeveloped say like the Elephant and Castle, it had large predominantly council flats that were pulled down and the old occupants were moved on and new swish apartments blocks were built in it’s place, I suppose that’s more gentrification too though. Maybe the happy medium is to design and build something that has much of what you was walking through but make it a tad larger and more open 🤷🏻‍♂️ maybe it loses totally then what it’s trying to emulate. Affordable housing is needing all over the globe though and it should never be overlooked. Superb video, I’ll have to give the other one a watch too, great content man.

[@Eric_Garrison]

I am also not calling it a slum. Hence the ' '

[@Helghast73]

@@Eric_Garrison My bad, this is what happens when you watch something on your phone at work whilst “working” 😂

[@kkyangkk]

I will say this is a slum by China's standard and I m living in one of those.most people don't want other people to know they live in a cheap place like this and the will try to work hard try to move out to a better apartment buildings.

[@Eric_Garrison]

lol understandable . Thanks for watching and the comment . Appreciate it. Def affordable housing and many housing options in city center both needed.

[@Helghast73]

@@kkyangkk Well that bar of what is and isn’t a slum in China is set high, clean, convenient, cheap, safe, looked very friendly and yeah you’re cheek by jowl with others but hey nothing to be ashamed of. Very few will be born with that silver spoon in their mouth and a property paid for by mum and dad waiting for them to own when old enough or simply earn enough to support a family elsewhere, themselves at the time and save for a deposit and mortgage.

[@joey3291]

It's by no means a 'slum', just a bit narrower than normal area, because the residents own those lands and thus want to make most of it by leaving minimum area for gaps and roads.

[@helennz2002]

That is the most slum place in China.

[@kobemaobraint6631]

因为中国没有平民窟的概念，城市中的城中村已经是居住条件最差的地方了，他们基本都是从中国相对落后的地方来大城市工作的人

[@danielwong2333]

These are the old towns with old buildings, doesnt falls into the category of a slum like in India. There is no slum in China, only old buildings.

[@lolcatjunior]

This not a slum. I live by Compton long beach at the edge of downtown LA near burned trailers and shitstained cracked sidewalk. That's a slum.

[@Naikomi95]

Because it's not... I know a electrical engineer who lives in this area in shenzhen. These are middle class apartment buildings.

[@黑川沙羅]

​@@Naikomi95😅😅

[@Taiwan-e6r]

@@Naikomi95 I live in these places and I'm not middle class

[@Taiwan-e6r]

@@Naikomi95 The rent here only accounts for about 20% of my salary

[@Naikomi95]

@@Taiwan-e6r Just you being able to afford living in shenzhen makes you upper class in China...

[@hawkkim1974]

very clean. In my standard, I wouldn't even call it a slum.

[@leahlee8291]

I think he used that word intentionally to draw the comparison between the poorer places in China and the real slums in other countries.

[@VV-ju8xh]

They maybe poor but they are not homeless and the area look clean and safe

[@yongjunchen-m2t]

他们可不穷好吧？你知道这种房东多有钱吗？

[@jacku8304]

@@yongjunchen-m2t Don't be jealous of other successes, You don't known if they had worked hard in their past.

[@花宝宝-d7i]

这种城中村的人很多有钱人

[@lemonmeng-xt8hc]

the people who live here maybe poor，but the owners are millionaires .

[@yongjunchen-m2t]

@@lemonmeng-xt8hc So it is invalid

[@tonycanton5611]

In the past, these were the residences of rural people without good planning. As the city expanded, it became an "urban village". Obviously, the environment is not as good as a modern community, but it provides cheap accommodation for many young people who have just come to this city to develop. They have to pay rent until they have better financial ability to move away from here. This is a place where the city is tolerant of immigrants. The space is small, but the government manages sanitation, security, water and electricity supply, Internet services, and privately operated low-cost living services.

[@hl5478]

The handshake buildings were built by different family without a well design. They just built the houses next to next. It’s not a slum, actually the house owners are quite rich especially if they get relocation by government or other commercial cooperation. Now, these houses are rented by people who are working in Shenzhen but come from somewhere else or not own a property.

[@sawyermcgill2799]

Aren’t you aware of how clean this place is??

[@Eric_Garrison]

Maybe try watching the video

[@pearls1626]

He is too busy trying to find something negative to show! He is even assuming about the red light district!😢

[@ljhS0ExZrXLmKPwVzwiygQ]

@@pearls1626 Comeon! Have you really watched this video? Do you guys live in a germ-free bubble? This is the most objective and sensible video about China I’ve ever seen, and he knows what he’s talking about! Yes, he mentioned hookers and ernai, but so what? That’s not about China, it’s about human nature! I was born there, and even though I moved to the US decades ago, I still know Shenzhen pretty well, probably better than you guys. I’m telling you, this guy isn’t making things up. He knows what things were like in China 10 -30 years ago. Ernai villages aren’t as common now, and he wasn’t informed about that, so what? He still deserves a lot of compliments.

[@cryptohornbill9658]

​@@ljhS0ExZrXLmKPwVzwiygQ can you pin point a dirty scene for me .

[@luojiangping7377]

​@@cryptohornbill9658 二奶 和 机 女 以前确实存在没必要反驳，这个在全世界都有，

[@zeissiez]

Quick fact: a lot of people had their homes in “slums” removed by the government got super rich after being compensated by the government at market rate. No such luck with slums in Mumbai !

[@TusharChandaliya-vq5np]

What do you know about Mumbai?....Currently My relative got a offer for his room and the prices were super high even for maket place🤡🤐

[@endlessjourney2564]

@@TusharChandaliya-vq5np Like 14000 dollars per square meter in ShenZhen?

[@TusharChandaliya-vq5np]

@@endlessjourney2564 Still India is more affordable....The prices in Chinese houses and markets are over inflated....Chinese economy is a bubble itself....That's should be burst...Middle kingdom built on pillars of Sand....🤭😂

[@superpooper_2030]

For Indians, no need to admire and expect the same from Indian government because you have 1 day voting rights during election and self proclaimed human rights and freedom

[@TusharChandaliya-vq5np]

@@superpooper_2030 Don't forget your dad's dear...And take your dad's name with respect....Ik we fu**ed you all up but still be respectful....

[@leahlee8291]

In earlier days thieves and robberies were quite common in China, so the old buildings usually have the iron window bars. But in recent years due to the rise of the living standard and the strengthened security by surveillance cameras, the old crimes have gone, so as the iron window bars.

[@btachas5581]

路上停这么多电瓶车 摩托车 放几个月都没人要

[@chas8609]

Actually, China is in an economic downturn right now. Many citizen, especially older ones are not happy. Even police are having to take pay cuts.

[@marvinfok65]

Omg, it is absolutely clean & tidy for a slump! I understand that China is still upgrading their older towns & improve the living environment for the people.

[@davidzan9190]

China exists poor communities which provide running water, sanitation, streets lights, cable TV, internet access, 24/7 electric, security cameras, sewers systems, no gangster, no youths roaming around. No baggers, no homeless around. No slum in China definitely.

[@zfwang6890]

it is you only​@Ironlion2024

[@cai567890]

@Ironlion2024 You are not Chinese. Don't make rumors. There is no caste system here and ordinary people can rise if they have the ability

[@邱小姐-s2t]

Before liberation, China had a caste system, called "堕人", such as 六小龄童 family who played "Sun WuKong" Monkey King. After liberation, everyone was equal, and the children of capitalists married with workers, but after 1978, they returned to the Republic of China. Now in China, the children of the rich and the children with a red background intermarry, and they no longer marry ordinary working people. They don't even meet at all in life. This is actually an obscure caste system, just like the ancient feudal society.

[@takedown243]

mostly importantly, no guns

[@lance9105]

this is well explained. thanks

[@eerking4876]

In addition to being noisy and having poor lighting, it actually has many advantages: it is located in the city center, has convenient transportation, cheap rent, and convenient life. The most important thing is that they are safe. Many of these urban villages even have their own patrol security teams. 除了嘈杂和采光不好外，其实有很多优点：位于市中心、交通方便、租金便宜、生活便利。重要的是很安全，很多这样的城中村甚至有自己的巡逻保安队伍。

[@datang-nomad]

城中村是有钱的富豪隐秘地

[@C-3POII45I4]

@@datang-nomad 房东挺有钱的，不少中产为了上班方便房租便宜也住里面，只要房子不是太烂很多人都愿意租住在城中村里面。

[@SinglespeedB]

I believe the urban villages were once farm land areas turned into "farmer-houses" many decades ago during the early period of economic reform and the setting up of Shenzhen special economic zone. They provided many low cost accommodations and living needs for a large number of first comer migrant "farmer-workers" from all around the country who contributed to the building of the city of Shenzhen.

[@ZLL668]

These neighborhoods used to sit on the edge of urban and rural areas. Because of the urbanization, they became the innercities. They are very expensive for demolitions and new development. The former rural ares are actually quite the opposite. They are usually turned into "new dictricts" with better urban planning and high rises.

[@sams9981]

no，这些房子的拥有着者是当地原住民。他们拥有土地，并被批准自己建造自有用房。但是没有很好规划，又有租用房子大量需求，最后成了这种杂乱无章房子。握手楼，很奇葩。

[@FengXiao168]

I grew up in Gongming (公明）and Xixiang（西乡）in 80s. I think Xixiang is where the Qianhan (前海）is located, you may show us about Qianhan new development.

[@anttycoon]

前海 , ultra rich, landfill waterfront properties. No taxis after midnight. Fitted 3 groups sharing "car" illegal taxis to get home. Watch movies at 前海, ate spicy fish.

[@americannumber2]

so much better than India

[@GodsDad98]

别拿印度来比，就算是欧美国家，有很多都比不上中国的小城市好，美国英国法国瑞士的城市街道，又老旧又破烂，路面坑坑洼洼都是洞，还真不如中国一个小县城好😂😂😂

[@leahlee8291]

India is incomparable with China, not at the same level.

[@duoxingbuyibizibi5671]

This is the old town, not the slums！！

[@chrislam7]

better than India?? you proud of that? that's your goal??

[@darth.severuss]

Don't compare China to Endia.

[@slavman2214]

Crazy how little trash/dirt there is

[@whitefalcon630]

Because Chinase people keep their homes clean.

[@ramy1190]

Also government services ​@@whitefalcon630

[@Mellisa026]

There is also a thriving group of people who daily travel by electric bikes through the streets, collect, sort and sell everything. They spread everything out and are meticulous and astute at classifying glass, plastic and organic waste.

[@whitefalcon630]

@@Mellisa026 you want to say that such urban slum villages are a good place to live?

[@ivanshi839]

@@whitefalcon630 They're the best option available to them who can't afford to buy an apartment in Shenzhen, a city with the highest average home prices in the country.

[@ZLL668]

Low crime, clean....If we call this a 'slum', what shall we call innercity of major US cities? Lol

[@zhanglini]

slummer？

[@CriticalEchinozoa]

somewhere in india be like: i'm slummest! ​@@zhanglini

[@我-o3q]

​@@zhanglinilol

[@texassabre7214]

We have second amendment!

[@Ahumaan]

Paradise. Stop trying to compare the United States to all these other countries that can’t compare.

[@kkyangkk]

I live in one of the village.during the summer walking in an alley the AC water dropped from the top like raining.Last year they fixed it and they remodeled the whole exterior for all the building for the whole villages and all villages in the city as well .government compensate it partial.

[@davidmenham1782]

Thanks for an quiet, honest and open tour of the urban villages without the distraction of annoying music in the background

[@HelenNg-b7b]

Yes, without "music"

[@Time4Peace]

I was posted to work in Wuhan for a short period 2013 to 2015. I stayed in an apartment in one of the hundreds of old housing blocks. These blocks are all 7 storeys with no lifts. They looked like concete slums indeed although free from crime. They look dirty from the outside as there was no maintenance programs. By 2015 before I left, the blocks were razed to the ground, all hundreds of them, with a huge housing estate built in the area. It was incredible given the speed of the re-development.

[@daydaystudydaydayup]

They should be renovated rather than demolished, low-income people can't afford to rent apartments.

[@Time4Peace]

@@daydaystudydaydayup Most of the old apartments are 7 storeys with no lifts, no modern sanitary facilities and poor foundation. It's more cost effective to demolish them and rebuild with common amenities with lifts essential for older folks.

[@xucg]

The neighbourhood in Xi'an where I lived as a child had over thirty buildings in the entire block, all of which were torn down and rebuilt. The new neighbourhood is neat and beautiful, but the memories of my childhood are gone, with only a few old trees to remind me of those days.

[@yufish6576]

many old building are made of bricks instead of concrete. Rebuild for better quality.make sense​@@daydaystudydaydayup

[@HK.i]

你不知道的是武汉是中国城市里面一直是最脏的城市之一。 例如，之前的重庆，成都，河南，武汉，这几个是中国最脏的城市，政府素质低不作为

[@El_Chompo]

I love these types of developments much. So dense and lively, no traffic noise, so much community to interact with so easily, so easy to find food a short distance away. Beautiful.

[@FM-cl8ob]

Even the alleyways are so clean, no garbage, no plastic bags, nada. Impossible to see such clean walking surfaces in US big cities.

[@RDstar8]

Old but clean .. which is amazing.

[@HKChineseCanadian]

Love this clean and compact urban area.

[@sr969]

Its aestheticallypleasing actually. I found some cute cafes there.

[@Dansire1]

Amazingly clean, I mean I’ve seen videos of slums in India, Philipines and more, including Kensington Avenue, Philadelphia, USA

[@Beadledom2024]

Did you notice the 146 security cameras he passed? You really want to live in THAT?

[@Lost_Johnny]

@@Beadledom2024 What a ridiculous comment.

[@thewarlock108]

@@Lost_Johnny i guess sarcasm comment to mock usa

[@emmanuelthankgodmartins5064]

Nice work you are doing always showing what China has to the world. I always look forward to seeing you new videos

[@Leia-c8c]

so real, this is the more affordable living in one of the most developed cities in China.

[@jimkuan8493]

The cleanest "slum" in the world.

[@robertwang7825]

If I was poor I’d rather live in China lol. Clean , safe , peaceful , quiet , organized , lots of E bikes to move around , plentiful food , no crime or drugs. Now that’s a life even for the poor.

[@rayx8329]

Although China may not be suitable for rich people to live in, it is certainly suitable for poor people to live in. I don’t know if this is a compliment or an insult to China...

[@multilecful]

Thank-you, that was really interesting. Its amazing how they found an equilibrium to live alongside each other. Whereas in the western world we see the opposite.

[@barbaraandrulis2765]

I really enjoy anywhere you walk and talk. I was surprised how clean the urban villages are, especially after just watching the homeless in tunnels under the Las Vegas strip. I have seen some of the tourists places and country villages. Looking forward to Shanghai and Beijing 😊

[@corypoyner7762]

Great information, great real world experience. I love learning about real things in real places, especially China. Thank you Eric G.

[@johniii4955]

Damn it looks so clean and orderly.

[@TueLesPigeons]

That is what you get from this video? Clean and olderly?

[@genichiroashina6372]

Hey, pigeon, what you got. We all got clean and orderly

[@TueLesPigeons]

@@genichiroashina6372 I saw the prostitutes and no space in between houses.

[@marilynfoster5279]

I just love how clean and neat everything is.Love it.❤❤❤❤

[@qiping6242]

It reminds me of Shanghai in the late 90's when I first graduated and started working. I was living in a similar urban village, which was crowded but very easy to get around and live in, and crucially very cheap. It was a bit noisy at night, there were all sorts of stalls, all sorts of small convenience stores, film disc sellers, massage parlours and prostitutes, overall it was a great memory.

[@iulia828]

Can you tell us something about the prostitutes? I wonder what kind of people and where could people see them? How can one recognize them as p.?

[@tonycanton5611]

@@iulia828 This was in the late 1990s and you can barely find it now. China is strict about prostitution and whoring.

[@godbluffvdgg]

Amazingly clean! Good upload...Cool part of china...

[@alimay1011]

This is similar to the back alleyways of newer side of Hanoi in Vietnam - very handy to just nip down and get your laundry done, grab a bite or some groceries or a coffee

[@jeffcrossley2924]

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing this. It’s not what I expected, seems so safe and normal.

[@starfish253]

A lot of negative comments here. He is showing so called “slum” in China, so people can compare against other slums around the world…”

[@Eric_Garrison]

Yea I’m not sure how it’s not exceedingly obvious lol. Thanks starfish

[@duoxingbuyibizibi5671]

This is the old town, not the slum！

[@张胜-j3g]

@@duoxingbuyibizibi5671 确实算得上中国版的 贫民窟， 就是外来的底层劳动者居住的社区啊 这个你不能否认吧

[@nickngunjiri4282]

​@@duoxingbuyibizibi5671then show us slums 😅

[@XingZheWuKong]

​@@张胜-j3g贫民窟是贫民窟，城中村是城中村。这些城中村的租客老家有自己的房子，收入也是正常老百姓收入--有高有低。

[@mrfitchina6234]

Love the walk, so many stories within these allies. GZ, Foshan, SZ for sure, so much life in these back streets/urban villages. I never get tired of riding my bike through these areas.

[@欧阳清风-k2d]

我是中国人，在中国没有贫民窟这个说法，其实这是这个城市的原住民住宅区，城市的开发，地价升高，他们就自己住到别的地方，然后把这些住宅租给外来人口。

[@Eric_Garrison]

努力学习英文 能看得懂我说什么 我也没有说有slum 加油

[@欧阳清风-k2d]

@@Eric_Garrison 我并没有因为你说是贫民窟而感到有什么不满或者生气，我只是看到评论区再说贫民区解释了一下，为什么这些地方房子会这么密集，祝旅途愉快

[@Marc-.]

@@欧阳清风-k2d他还是懂的 来好多年了

[@aJarrowLad525]

@@Eric_Garrisonyou are so lucky to live in such a beautiful clean neighbourhood

[@aarongarcia1101]

This is an excellent walk through town, Shenzen looks beautiful and full of life. I don't know how you would find your way around that maze.

[@shirleylee2885]

Urbanism research at work with detailed narrative. Very interesting work. Very well done.

[@dkennell998]

Man, this was such an excellent video. Makes me wanna go back, especially since i've gotten so heavy into urbanism recently.

[@taos728]

I used to live in this village fifteen years ago, everything is familiar and strange to me

[@austinkungu3962]

Thank you 😊 very much,i just love your "inner city"video,am impressed "massively"so clean and spotless "Chinese are clean and orderly, very educational, keep it up, cheers 🍾

[@kev13nyc]

keep pumping out those China videos Eric!!!!

[@christianvanneuves9958]

Interesting topic, well presented without much drama - and a hint of charm. Thank you!

[@kevinw1090]

Many large cities were much smaller and surrounded by farming villages before 1980s. As cities like ShenZhen buying up farm lands to expand their cities, the indigenous village folks were allowed to retain a small portion of the land collectively owned by each village as their ancestral homestead. The rest of the farm lands were sold to the city for developments. Many business minded villagers used their payouts to build as many buildings as possible on their homestead to meet the burgeoning demand for cheap housing due the flood of migrants drawn to big cities for better opportunities. That is pretty much the genesis of Chinese city villages.

[@Mia-Marie-ij1wy]

Nice place👏👍😍🤩🤗..very clean..i like it.👍🤩!

[@kathy_k5716]

Old neighbourhood yet they keep its pretty clean, very impressive

[@alicebottles6704]

Thank you for showing us this place. Houses with such a high density were mostly built in the last century and are mostly found in southern coastal areas such as Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Nowadays, houses are subject to strict planning standards. As a Chinese person, I have never seen such a urban village before. It seems that the alleys here can lead in all directions, giving people a feeling of watching an old Jackie Chan movie…

[@kennedy6618]

These places is a heaven for the crooks in America. Bikes, open doors and thing left outside.

[@beatricewan9958]

😁😁😁

[@congbeam3475]

. He was arrested in 24 hours and sentenced to three years in prison. The amount is relatively large, starting in ten years.

[@endlessjourney2564]

It is just like a straight way to jail.

[@Beadledom2024]

Crooks? Not with the 146 security cameras I counted myself in this one video of a handful of streets....Only crooks allowed are from the govt.

[@davidpark2509]

😂

[@meimiaolin2581]

Very informative and entertaining. We came on a tour from Zhongshan to try out the new over and under the sea expressway to Shenzhen and was not taken to a place like this.

[@kenyup7936]

Welcome to urban village 😂, yep, kinda chaotic, kinda messed up there but ppl live in harmony basically 😂

[@FERESE]

What's messed up here? Compared to super power United States with slums on every corner with Masters degree holders as homeless people on the street. Same with rough sleepers in the U.K. what is messed up here?

[@DL-iq5zo]

I love those places, such wonderful character of genuine neighborhoods. Thanks for sharing your walk ... thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@honeypie2555]

They certainly seem to be very well organized and clean, which is refreshing to see. Unlike America's poor. It's great how they watch out for each other too. Are they usually prejudice toward white people or accepting? Thank you. This is amazing to see.

[@Eric_Garrison]

Nah Chinese people are very accepting of foreigners. Mostly

[@leahlee8291]

Chinese are Confucius followers believing and practicing peace, love and harmony.

[@Peacelastsforever]

中国欢迎任何遵纪守法的人❤

[@camillemousse]

So good that the children can walk safely. I also like the liveliness. And, most things you need are within walking distance. It can be a bit dark in the very narrow areas that have less businesses.

[@goolooggg9005]

I prefer this urban village more than those sterile modern apartments, hope China to retain this kind of urban village for years to come

[@我-o3q]

not all of them will be demolished, cause these places house new graduated collegers, low income workers.

[@babyguevarra1225]

It's also surprisingly clean. With that amount of people living in that area they maintain the cleanliness of the streets😮

[@CJN3423.]

The places are relativey clean, safe, quiet, well organized and managed, and convenient for most of the daily needs, compared to many other chiotic, noisy, with many criminal activities "slumps" in the world.

[@alexrichards24]

This was a great walk around and your commentary was positive and natural - thank you for keeping it real

[@mingtangwu2716]

It’s best to use travel videos without filters, the real ones are the best

[@Eric_Garrison]

Ok but I’m finding this new pocket 3 camera to have very flat colors. Pair that with overcast day and the raw footage looks really washed out

[@Luna-cf3op]

I'm glad you put this out here. Lately I've seen so many videos of China, mostly covering the same conent of the huge cities. After visiting China last year (only visiting my daughter) I was just as surprised like everyone else when seeing China for the first time. By now I'm convinced that the world really is misrepresenting China and people are hard to change their perceptions without seeing it for themselves. But you've shown me what I wanted to see, though I also visited Guilin that also gave me the same kind of experience. What is really good to see is how clean it is, even if the buildings are old, the streets are very clean. That is something that I do not experience currently. The small towns are now ruined. It's heartbreaking to see in what filth we have to live. I also visited South Korea a few times and walk through the neighbourhoods there and look very similar than what you've shown here. But it was not as clean as this place.

[@anttycoon]

Guilin, that old beard man with bamboo hat on a bamboo raft on the river with the mountain at the background , with birds catching fish is now a billionaire charging just $5 a photo. He learned it from Times Square Mexican at New York wearing Luigi customs.

[@Luna-cf3op]

@@anttycoon we went on the river and I saw several bamboo boat, I'm sure one had to be his. Only good memories from China would love to go again next year.

[@kenwang3021]

A true slum has an independent ecosystem within the city and is almost completely isolated from the outside world. In contrast, the urban villages in China are original rural areas that have been surrounded by urban expansion. The residents of these urban villages have close ties with the city.

[@TheSovereign2011]

The U.S. equivalent would be the old quarter of U.S. cities. Prime real estate, away from flooding, access to important parts of city life that can't be equaled

[@styx62]

Looked like a decent area very interesting video

[@lynkung4018]

No wino? no one ask you for a quarter? no smash n grab? no gun shot? no graffiti? no empty thunderbird bottle?

[@CapChronic]

This is the content I wanna see on China. Not just all the tourist spots.

[@AnnieT369]

I think the grills on the windows are decorative purpose only because the big front door is wide open!

[@Yep-too]

I used to live in an urban village in Haikou. Loved it. I rarely left, apart from going to work.

[@wongcy713]

A slum is where people staying don't own the land. Here every inch of land come with a title - however old the title maybe. Developments as such because there are no zoning laws or building laws when those buildings were put up.

[@donquijotedelamancha3529]

Thanks for sharing. What a beautiful way of living.

[@geniemerchant9531]

In US we have some mixed used neighborhoods. Retail & living space. I liked the way kids could walk home from school & get snacks at the stores

[@alanthal6876]

Thank you, fascinating . Very clean , no graffiti ! Keep up the good work.

[@cosmoobserver3416]

It's okay to describe these urban villages as "slums" because they are indeed the worst places in terms of housing conditions. But they are not equivalent to slums in many other countries, which are usually rife with drugs and gang wars.

[@reneewilson8961]

It is so clean. Good informative content. 13 million, wow.

[@derrick238]

Slum in China considered luxury to India.

[@ShriNidhi-zu2im]

I agree with you bro

[@user-it8gk3ke7h]

NOOOOOO INDIA #1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@aaradhyarawat7589]

Get off this racist trend of bashing India.

[@ronioclarenzo6137]

Dude, this video is so well made, in every area from script to cinematography, from sociology to depth psychology! Keep em coming!

[@cb250nighthawk3]

For a slum or urban village, it's pretty nice, clean and modern. Almost like a city in my country in S. E. Asia. 🎉

[@sophiedolman2230]

I've watched videos of middle Eastern, and Asian videos, Iran, Pakistan etc, and this place is comparably spotless. No litter, no graffiti, really well kept !

[@lasvegasluca9509]

Investing in alternate income streams should be the top priority for everyone right now especially given the global economic crisis we are currently experiencing. Stocks, gold, silver and virtual currencies are still attractive investments at the moment.

[@mbalimaka6393]

Everyone needs more than their salary to be financial stable. The best thing to do with your money is to invest it rightly, because money left for saving always end up used with no returns.

[@claresmithy4667]

You’re correct I make a lot of money without relying on the government. Investing in stocks and digital currencies is beneficial at the moment.

[@jeremygood3246]

I'm from Australia I’d like to invest, where do I start from?

[@ningyen1444]

Kate Mellon Bruce is not just my family’s financial advisor, she’s a licensed and FINRA agent who other families in the US employs her services

[@ningyen1444]

She's active on face book @

[@kc1469]

Much appreciate your vids, Eric. Informative and indeed your views are not usually covered by other China vlogs. Take care and keep up the good work to tell the rest of the world the good and bad sides of China. Thanks again.

[@luting3]

Feel more warm and welcome than those high end condo area. I will select this place to stay if I have chance.

[@RegenTanzer1]

Very enjoyable to view a large Chinese city-especially the tightly spaced inner-urban locations. Seeing real-life going on is always of interest to me. I like it all, actually. Thanks for the video(s) with your commentary.

[@davidz7858]

if this is the slum, Indian slum will be hell.

[@aaradhyarawat7589]

Stop this racist bashing.

[@oygvalt6988]

​@@aaradhyarawat7589 pleese saar stop dis bashing saar, india supapower 2030

[@nyla2408]

Just discovered your channel & just subscribed as well. I look forward to seining more of your content. Be well, and thanks for such interesting content.

[@xharding]

Even me living in Sweden where we used to have clean street a long time go think this video show some very clean streets…amazing in such a dense and large neighbourhood.

[@salomsala]

No homeless, No crime, No Drugs. China is truely amazing. Even their settlements and villages look Clean and Safe. People are healthy too..

[@tdeanmoss8289]

Propaganda..ive been its a shit hole

[@chas8609]

@@tdeanmoss8289 This videoblog definitely shows the nicer side of not so upscale urban areas in China.

[@TueLesPigeons]

@@salomsala except for illegal prostitutes?

[@JohnSmith-sm7ez]

Lies. Over 6000 yearly murders. Good rate but that’s definitely not , ‘no crime ’ How are the disappearing ministers getting on? Safe my ass. Death by natural disasters, heat, cold, awful cancer rate survival stats, road accidents, child kidnapping. So covid was pure safety? Worst safety incident for decades globally. That’s safety is it?

[@MommaBear360]

That was very fascinating. Thank you 😊