The narrative is a first-person account of a visit to Ordos, a modern, billion-dollar ghost city in northern China. The speaker, who is curious about China's population density, visits Ordos and is struck by the emptiness of the city. Despite its modern infrastructure, including skyscrapers, shopping centers, and amusement parks, the city lacks inhabitants. The speaker reflects on the irony of the city's existence and wonders why it was built without a residential population.
The speaker visits various locations in Ordos, including the airport, a hotel, and a shopping center. Despite the city's modern amenities, the speaker finds the city eerily quiet and devoid of people. The speaker also visits an amusement park and a Mongolian chess square, both of which are empty.
The speaker is intrigued by the city's potential but laments its current state. They express a desire to return to Ordos when it is fully populated, to see how it develops and whether it becomes a success or a failure. The speaker concludes by expressing a sense of intrigue about the city, which they describe as a "blank page" in the history of Chinese humanity.
1. The speaker visited China and was curious to see one of its modern, million-dollar ghost cities.
2. The speaker visited the city of Ordos in northern China, which is part of the Inner Mongolia region.
3. Despite its modern amenities, the city of Ordos is almost entirely devoid of people.
4. The city of Ordos was built with the intention of attracting millions of people, but currently, there are very few residents.
5. The city of Ordos has a vast amount of empty space, including skyscrapers, huge squares, and new roads.
6. The city of Ordos also has many unfinished or abandoned construction projects, including amusement parks and shopping centers.
7. The city of Ordos is home to a large, artificial lake that was built on what used to be a dry space.
8. The city of Ordos has a high crime rate, with robberies and car crashes being rare events.
9. The city of Ordos has seen some success in attracting schools, offices, and universities, but many residents are hesitant to start a life from scratch in this new city.
10. The city of Ordos has a public transport system that includes Vivi, a Chinese Uber-like service, taxis, and a truck system.
11. The city of Ordos is seen as a blank page in the history of Chinese humanity, waiting for its residents to write their own stories.