I visited Beijing recently and had a chance to look at the Beijing skyline from a tall building. The sprawling skyscrapers and large-scale shopping centers reminded me once again that China has come a long way from its struggling past, especially after the Cultural Revolution. But it was also distinctively visible, or not visible, that the city was engulfed in thick smog that made the scenery quite surreal.

It is reported that inefficient government operation is letting the coal plants take up to 80% of the power generation in China, despite improvements in renewable energy generation. Ten percent of all energy generated from renewable, clean sources are wasted. State Owned Enterprise – dependence of key industries, corruptions and disincentives that go with it, a lack of market discipline, insufficient civil society capacity to balance the state power, and lack of information freedom that undergirds the intelligence and culture of a society, all come down to everyday manifestations, such as air quality that is 14 times above the safety limit.

The break-neck speed of the Chinese modernization project undertaken by Deng Xiaoping and his progeny is an oft-told story. But, all the achievements in economy and national power seem somewhat futile if basic requirements for human welfare, like breathing, remain a hazardous activity. Also, lately, economic growth has slowed considerably, as it normally does, and rising inequality among people of different region and affiliation, and the attending schisms in the quality of life could be a dividing issue. In addition, how Beijing addresses growing demands for political freedom, especially from the Weibo – Chinese SNS and mini-blog service – generation, evidenced by the tension involving Muslim-dominated Xinjiang region, Tibet and lately Hong Kong, is more interesting than mystery novels. Can China take the next step economically, socially and politically?

All these are eerily similar to the path that Korea has experienced and is experiencing. Sure, there is the meteoric rise in economic standing, peaceful transitions of power many times over, and prolific flowerings of numerous cultural offerings. But, if we cannot keep our youth and elders from committing suicide or falling victims to safety standards that are several decades behind, what are they all for? If we are still blaming ills on the government, or others, and neglect taking up the grinding work of changing how we do things on a daily basis, there would be no way to guarantee that.

As I was considering the purchase of an industrial strength mask, I was told that the Beijing marathon was in progress. Let me get this straight. Thousands of people are bent on pumping the unsavory air into their lungs as much as possible for hours? For real? It sure seemed like large-scale madness. But, on second thought, maybe it is a danger-defying triumph of human spirit that presses ahead, no matter what.