Disclaimer: the following information presented is based on my observations- NOT ON FACT. I understand that some of my claims may be one-sided generalizations… For instance, when I say that “people in China are a lot more standoffish and self-focused than in America”, I am well aware that not everyone in China is this way (I’m basing this observation off of my stay in one city within a single province) and that there may be a deeper cultural premise behind such demeanor of the Chinese people that I am unaware of. So please take everything I write with a grain of salt. Also, in stating the negative aspects of what I saw in the nation of my descent, I do not intend to poke fun at or discriminate against my very people. I simply state what I see, from the point of view of a tourist from America. For me, the cultural shock of living in a whole other continent for one month was inevitable, especially because I hadn’t been to China in three years. In spite of whatever negative innuendoes you may pick up from my observations on Chinese culture, please note that while I may not agree with all aspects of Chinese life, I live with the utmost respect for the Chinese and accept that their way of life may differ from my own. And that difference is completely okay!
Toilet Trauma
"Squatties" vs. "Sitties"
In many Asian countries, notably China, the toilets are actually little holes in the ground that you squat over to do your business. Hence, the name “squatties”. Ask any one of my family members, and they will tell you what an ordeal it is for me whenever I must use a public squatty. Oh, the horror stories I have… The stalls often wreak of human waste; the floor of the stalls are often soaking wet; overall, I simply cannot stand the squatty, and I’d only use it if absolutely necessary. People in mainland China, however, may beg to differ. Many Chinese argue that the squatty is more hygienic than the traditional “sitty” toilet, as you don’t have to sit on a surface that thousands of others have sat on before you.
No toilet paper in stalls
A second pet peeve of mine regarding Chinese toilets is their lack of toilet paper. That’s why you’ll see many Chinese natives carrying around tissue packs in their pockets or purses- because there is no toilet paper!
The People
People seem a lot more standoffish and self-focused in China than in America.
If you knew me, you would know that I’m a hugger. When reuniting with friends and relatives I haven’t seen in several years, I greeted each one with my usual hug. To my surprise, many did not reciprocate the embrace, and some were visibly uncomfortable by this level of intimacy! Bottom line is, I don’t think hugging people is a very common practice in China. Although, I must say that there has been a general increase in level of PDA among mainlanders and Hong Kong natives alike since I was last here, three years ago. It’s not uncommon to see young couples holding hands and cuddling, and even kissing, in public!
You don’t smile at strangers. I learned this the hard way, by smiling and being friendly to strangers, only to be met with poker-faces and glares. In fact, my friend Cathy, who is from Guang Dong province, China, told me that natives can immediately tell that I am a foreigner because of my friendly demeanor and vivacious energy- people in China simply don’t act this way towards strangers.
People often walk in front of you when you’re trying to take a decent picture, completely unaware of their infiltration of the “picture zone”. This behavior, particularly common in mainland China, annoyed the heck out of my mom, the wannabe photographer.
People love cutting lines. Especially at the corners. A common trick among Chinese natives: using their children to get ahead in line. Basically, they allow their children to cut in front of people and then proceed to “”catch” their children, moving ahead several places in the process.
Nearly everyone in China owns a selfie stick!
I don’t know if selfie sticks were invented in China or Asia (you’d have to look that one up).. but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were, because nearly everyone in China owns one! They are actually pretty cheap- I saw one at the mall that was 20 RMB, roughly 3 USD.
Korean subculture (mostly in Hong Kong)
The Korean subculture has taken the Hong Kong-nese by storm. Most people in Hong Kong, young and old alike, are obsessed with all things Korean. Korean fashion. Korean makeup. Korean hairstyles. Korean drama. K-pop. It’s K-razy!!
Babies. EVERYWHERE!
I kid you not- on every street in China I walked, I’d see at least four or five babies. The shear number of infants in China is largely due to the huge Chinese population (does this remind anyone of Swift’s The Modest Proposal?). Another possible explanation for this phenomenon is the Chinese government’s recent lift on the “one-child per family” rule. Now, instead of being limited to one child, each family is allowed two children maximum. I presume that people are taking advantage of this opportunity to pop out them lil’ ones!
Hong Kong natives often discriminate against the “crude mainlanders”.
I met a guy on the four-day Royal Caribbean cruise we were on. His name was Darren, and he was a Hong Kong native who is currently a rising sophomore at Harvard. Anyway, he told me that it was common for Hong Kong citizens to discriminate against the mainlanders. According to him, people in Hong Kong view mainlanders as less cultured, less sophisticated, and more crude in their behavior.
Rules of the Road
Chinese drivers are insanely aggressive.
Have you ever been caught in New York City traffic? Complete disregard of lane lines, crazy interweaving between lanes, speeding everywhere, a symphony of honks blaring louder than the music of Broadway or Carnegie Hall? Well imagine all of that, except three times greater in magnitude. That is what it’s like to drive in mainland China.
My poor dad had to drive us around amidst such craziness. I honestly cannot believe how we made it out unscathed… There were several “close call” incidents, where a truck would appear out of nowhere, the bus next to us would make a dangerous swerve into our lane, nearly gobbling up our tiny car, or an annoying pedestrian would cross the street last minute, . I can most certainly say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if someone were to pay me big money to drive in China, I would not.
Pedestrians are equally as aggressive
Pedestrians will literally risk their lives to walk across the street through fast-moving traffic. Pedestrians need to be aggressive, seizing even the slightest of opportunities to get their right of way, because drivers surely won't lend it to them. If you try to wait until traffic is completely clear before crossing the street, I guarantee you, you'll never make it. Don’t ever expect a Chinese driver to yield for pedestrians.
Incessant (and often unnecessary) car honking
This probably makes my list of top three pet peeves about driving in China (the other two being foolishly fearless pedestrians and drivers' ignorance of lane divisions). Literally, drivers in China will honk at EVERYTHING. If the traffic is tail-to-tail congested, you can bet that drivers will honk, probably at the universe, simply to express their annoyance at the frustrating situation (I mean, it’s not like honking at the cars in front will make them move any faster).
No need to buckle (in backseats)
It is actually legal for those in the back seat to remain unbuckled (those in the front seats must buckle, however). Not that this law- or lack thereof- compelled me to actually ride without a seat belt. I don't wanna die!
Oftentimes, you can’t physically strap yourself in the backseats, even if you wanted to. The back seat belts in most Chinese/Hong Kong taxis are removed or tied up, inaccessible to passengers, which makes riding in taxis all the scarier.
In mainland China (at least where I stayed), taxis are the main form of transportation for those without a car.
Unlike in the U.S., where Uber has essentially overtaken the taxi market, taxis in the mainland are the main form of transportation for those without a car (Uber exists in only HK and Macau, not mainland China).
Fun fact: taxis come in different colors- green, blue, red, black, and yellow!
Eating Etiquette
People can smoke in restaurants.
It’s disgusting, really. On more than one occasion, my family and I were seated next to a table of smokers who were literally blowing whiffs of smoke into our dim sum… we could hardly breathe, let alone eat. The problem is, since smoking is allowed in restaurants, you can’t really stop smokers from doing it. Speaking of smoke, lots more people smoke in China/Hong Kong than in the U.S.
Plates are not to be eaten off of.
This is one major difference between American and Chinese eating habits. In China, the plate set in front of you is not to be eaten off of. Instead, people place food in their bowls and only use the plate for storing bones/other waste.
Washing the tables settings with hot tea!!!
In many restaurants, especially the lower-end ones, you have to wash your bowl/tea cup/plate/chopsticks with hot tea before using, to ensure cleanliness. They even put out a bowl for you to dump the tea in once you’re done.
Starbucks Galore!!
When I came back to visit China with my family in the summer of 2013, I didn’t see a single Starbucks. Three years later, many more Starbucks’s have been established- with their little Asian twist! Some of the Starbucks’s I went to actually served mooncakes as a pastry selection. The pastries, by the way, are much much cheaper in Hong Kong than they are in the U.S.
In Hong Kong, strangers often share a table at restaurants!
This unique phenomenon is due to lack of space and the fast-paced lifestyle of the Hong Kong people. Two strangers sitting across from one another at the same booth, each eating their meals swiftly and silently, is a very common sight.
