Talking to people from Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi province-whether taxi drivers or governmental officials-it is very common to hear them say how they cannot compare with cities in the east of the country. The years spent lagging behind a number of other Chinese provinces has developed this complex among some local people. After China's reform and opening, and especially since early 1990s,the eastern coastal areas have enjoyed booming economic development thanks to the country's policies. In addition,