海角大神

As disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai awaits the start of his corruption trial聽Thursday, the northeastern port city where he first became powerful retains a defiant pride in its fallen former star mayor 鈥� a man driven to rise to the top reaches of government.聽聽

Some physical traces from Mr. Bo鈥檚 tenure in Dalian 鈥� a post he held from 1993-2000 before moving to Beijing, then Chongqing 鈥� have been erased or tempered amid his spectacular fall from grace. But enough remain to give a sense of a man who rattled the highest echelons of the Communist Party, and earned a reputation as a fiercely loyal political friend 鈥� or a ruthless foe.

Bo鈥檚 trial in Jinan this week, which may hinge on economic crimes in Dalian, could mark the close of one of modern China鈥檚 most bizarre political dramas.

Bo's demise began more than a year ago when his wife, Gu Kailai, was linked to the murder of British business associate Neil Heywood. Ms. Gu later was convicted of murdering Heywood.

In Dalian, officials removed museum exhibits linked to Bo, who is now in his 60s, and scrubbed his name from view as the former mayor was purged from his posts and party, then finally indicted last month on charges of corruption, embezzling, and abuse of power.

For all his personal popularity, Bo's lasting impact on Dalian included what some considered reckless spending to cement his reputation for public works and development.

"His rule in Dalian shared something in common with his Chongqing model such as launching many construction projects and improving people鈥檚 livelihoods," says Zhang Ming, a politics professor at Renmin University. "Basically speaking, he acted like a showman. Dalian served as a platform for him to jump even higher but he didn鈥檛 consider if the government can repay the debt."

Bo鈥檚 personal stamp on Dalian remains, however, in the scores of cottonwood trees he ordered planted to green up the city, along with the peculiar fleet of female traffic police on horseback.聽And at Dalian鈥檚 Xinghai Square, amid a vast expanse of seaside concrete built during Bo鈥檚 tenure, a towering white marble ceremonial column known as a聽huabiao, a monument typically reserved for key palaces and tombs, is testimony to his political ambitions.聽

鈥淗e wanted to be the president. That is certain,鈥� says a longtime Dalian businessman who did not want to speak on the record for fear of reprisals.

Zhang Lifan, an authority on modern Chinese political history, says Bo cemented his interest in politics in Dalian. Before that, he is rumored to have considered a career as a foreign correspondent.聽

鈥淗e succeeded in being a showman when he was ruling in Dalian,鈥� says Mr. Zhang. 鈥淔irst, he set up a team of policewomen on horseback who added beautiful scenery to the city. Second, he launched many projects to beautify the city.鈥�

Bo 鈥� the son of party elite 鈥� also did his best to curry favor with Beijing. His brash style and policies made him many allies in Dalian, but also fearful enemies.

鈥淏o鈥檚 case shows problems of China Communist Party鈥檚 political institution, which is not selecting strongmen but ordinary ones,鈥� says Zhang. 鈥淏o is a political strongman with capability, but he is not safe, and caused concern to other officials. His brutality to rivals made other officials fear him.鈥�

The fear in Dalian today is not of Bo, but of discussing too him too much, which many say could lead to trouble. Still, many hold strong opinions that Bo did nothing that wasn鈥檛 common among Chinese government officials, and that in many ways he was less corrupt.

鈥淭he amount of corruption Bo Xilai is accused of is very small compared to the rest of the government. Corruption is a bigger problem with China鈥檚 government,鈥� says Wang Haixing, a tourist from central China while sightseeing in Dalian.

Others shared that outlook, lowering their voices when speaking of Bo. Few would agree to give their names, but several said his policies, like building affordable housing, and personal style, made him more appealing than most Chinese political figures. Though he鈥檚 been gone from sight for more than a year, his legacy remains strong here.

Beyond the popular, Bo鈥檚 political history is inexorably linked to the Dalian that materialized during his tenure, when he targeted foreign investment to grow the local economy. Dalian now could be a key component of the case against Bo, even though Bo鈥檚 political career collapsed on the other side of the country in Chongqing.

The indictment against Bo named billionaire Xu Ming, head of the Dalian Shide Group, as a main source of Bo鈥檚 bribes. Mr. Xu has been missing for more than a year. His company denied rumors of bankruptcy, but the Dalian headquarters of Shide are empty, and desks and workstations mostly bare.

On the seaside at Xinghai Square, Bo鈥檚 footprints remain encased in concrete, although they are no longer plated in gold and raised above the dozens of others treading a path to the sea. A tour guide says the gold was removed and Bo鈥檚 footprints leveled when the former mayor was purged. Tour guides used to point out the footprints and talk about Bo鈥檚 achievements, but the day before his trial opened, onlookers had to guess and ask which barefoot impressions were his.

鈥淗is must be the biggest ones,鈥� says one woman. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a leader.鈥�