Cao Wenjing: Second-Generation Shenzhen Immigrant
Cao Wenjing considers herself a typical second-gener ation Shenzhen immigrant.
In 2000, she arrived in the city with her parents who were nearly 40 years old. They had previously held public office in Huangshi, Hubei Province.
She transferred to Shenzhen’s Binhe Middle School halfway through the first year. The entire school spoke Cantonese, but she could only speak Mandarin at the time.
She was deeply impressed by an open horizon of mass information, most of which came from Hong Kong. She still fondly recalls the Hong Kong fashion weekly YES!, which was published from 1990 to 2014.
Because of big differences between Shenzhen and Huangshi textbooks, her first English exam score was only 50 points, whereas in Huangshi, she had regularly scored 120. She wanted to give up and felt like a loser.
After the national college entrance examination, Cao was accepted to Shenzhen Vocational and Technical College to study industrial analysis and inspection. After graduation, she joined Shenzhen Water Group as a laboratory technician at a water quality monitoring station.
Her parents were pleased with her job and considered it a good choice based on her college studies. They also thought it a safe vocation for a female because of the limited volume of social contact.
Ten years after she joined the group, Cao was director of its General Office.
Cao admires her parents for making the choice to pack up and leave home so late in life.
After becoming director of the General Office, Cao decided she needed more self-fulfillment. “Entrepreneurship seemed the most unknown realm to me, so it seemed like a good place to start.”
Influenced by her parents, she quit her job. “My parents were both born in 1960,” she says. “When they arrived in Shenzhen, they were almost 40. It was cool for people at their age to make such a big decision. I believe they made the right choice because Shenzhen has so many opportunities.”
One of her parents’ closest friends hails from the Chaoshan region, Guangdong Province. Uncle Chen arrived in Shenzhen at the age of 16, carrying only dreams and a small bag of belongings.
“Basically, he tried every trade you can imagine,” Cao explains. “He once operated a restaurant and eventually started a real estate company. Stories like these are common in Shenzhen. Everyone is hard-working, and every chance counts.”
By chance Cao got into the Bed and Breakfast (B&B) business. The owner of the house was looking for a partner and approached her. She decided to seize the opportunity because she thought it aligned with her hobby of designing floral arrangements.
Cao Wenjing is optimistic about the prospects of the B&B in Jiaochangwei, a coastal village in Shenzhen. “Why don’t you look into building another one around here?” she jokes. “It’s a really popular spot.”
Her B&B hotel Yanyu, literally “Rock & Islet,” is located near a military base in Shenzhen’s Dapeng District, along a narrow coastline of 3,000 meters. The area now has nearly 400 B&Bs, which compete fiercely against each other.
The change has been incredibly stressful for Cao because she estimates needing about seven years to earn back the landlord’s investment. For now, she is only trying to earn back the huge investment.
Yanyu features floor space of more than 400 square meters, with 10 rooms decorated in black and white with strong modern appeal. The building looks natural, elegant and pleasant compared to others, which appear either exotic or rustic.
“In Shenzhen, I get a lot of respect as a hospitality industry entrepreneur,” Cao notes. “Our guests are polite. They offer to share their expensive wines.”
She has become even more optimistic about the future development of Dapeng District since the establishment of the Dapeng New Area Administrative Committee. The entire area is becoming a national 5A scenic spot. “We’re naturally blessed to work in such a setting,” Cao asserts.
Shenzhen is known for its strong civil organizations, and the B&B Association was established in Jiaochangwei. “When I opened my business, other shop owners came to help,” Cao recalls. “Later, when two young girls launched their hotels, I went to help. Now many young entrepreneurs come back from abroad with many new concepts and ideas in tow. I’ve learned a lot through talking to them.”
Shenzhen has everything a business could need. As long as you have an idea, you can make it a reality. “If I wanted to franchise out my B&B in another city, I would find investors after they came to assess what I’ve done here,” Cao says. “But, I have never heard of anyone from Shenzhen starting a business elsewhere. Shenzhen is always their first choice for startups.”
Cao can list the advantages of Shenzhen: no geographical discrimination—“All those who come here are Shenzhen people,” high inclusiveness, high degree of civilization, and everyone obeying the rules and regulations.
“My strength is my diligence,” she grins. “My only regret is that I never received much formal education, which remains a pain in my heart.”
The shelves of Yanyu’s sitting room are packed with black and white photos and books such as the hit Chinese sci-fi novel The ThreeBody Problem and the famous contemporary literary work Ancient Boat. “That’s about the extent of my reading list,” she admits.
Cao maintains a large circle of friends. Ten years ago, she started getting interested in photography due to the influence of friends who were 10 to 20 years older. “In my mind, they are super cool—they stayed focused on one thing, photography, for a lifetime. Now, in their fifties, they live in farmhouses, develop film, smoke a pipe, raise cats and dogs and build their own little utopia. I’m a bit idealistic and impulsive, so I understand them.”
As for Uncle Chen, he is a special case. “When he turned 60, he gave all of his business to his brothers. He took some money and went to Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province, where he contracted several hills to achieve his long-cherished dream of establishing the Laobanzhang Pu’er Tea Plantation.” Cao has great admiration for him.
Education certainly helps many, but there are many paths to cultural accomplishment. This is evident in Cao Wenjing. At the age of 32, she talks in a decent but unsophisticated manner, cheerful but not flamboyant, considerate yet not contrived.
Like many successful second-generation immigrants in Shenzhen, Cao Wenjing’s life is inextricably linked to the city’s development, so she has a deeper understanding of its prosperity, rule-based administration, self-respect and inclusiveness.
The experiences of her parents’ generation in entrepreneurship were gritty but successful, kindling a daring spirit to make bold choices alongside pragmatic progress.
Communicating with friends of different ages who have succeeded in different walks of life has taught her to take what comes and make the best of things. Many new Shenzheners like Cao have grown up to be grateful, kind and appreciative of all life has to offer. 
Cao Wenjing has had the opportunity to experience the city’s prosperity and civilization alongside her own development. by Chen Jian