What It’s Like Living in China: 20 Unique Things About Life in China
Wondering what it’s like living in China? To say that moving from the US to China was a culture shock would be a massive understatement. No matter how much you prepare and try and inform yourself about a place, living there is a whole other ballgame.
I can feel my opinions of what is socially/morally/economically acceptable change as my experience in China continues. I definitely moved here with some preconceived notions – as I think we all do when we go somewhere new that we’ve only heard certain things about – but given time, I’ve come to embrace a lot of the quirks of living in China – even the ones that can be annoying and strange, to begin with.
Whether you’re moving to a small town in rural China or one of the colossal cities, there are a lot of cultural aspects that you need to get your head around pretty quickly.
There actually is a pretty big expat community in China. With a mix of other Asian nationalities like Koreans and Japanese, and plenty of Western expats like Brits, Germans, Americans, and more calling China home, you can quickly find other expats to help you through the culture shift.
Especially if you’re coming to China to teach English, ask around your school – many of the foreign teachers will have been in your shoes and get it!
So, there are obviously some massive differences in living in China like transportation, familial importance and hierarchy, food etiquette, and more.
There’s a lot to consider, but here are 20 unique things that show what it’s like living in China on a more granular, day-to-day level.
Think of these as the social and cultural tips I wish I knew before I moved to China. Let’s dive in!
1. Hot Water is King
Okay, let’s start with a super basic bit of advice. In China, hot water has cured everything for generations and will continue to do so for hundreds of generations in the future. If you’re sick – have some hot water.
Had a bad day – have some water. Confused or unsure – hot water is going to provide all the clarity that you need to make decisions.
Whether it’s drinking it in the vast varieties of delicious Chinese teas, taking a long soak in the bath, or giving your face a good steam under a towel with a big bowl of piping hot water, there is nothing that this magical elixir cannot fix.
It’s the gospel in China, so don’t be surprised if a friend recommends it as a cure for whatever malady you’re facing.
2. There are Indoor Shoes and Outdoor Shoes.
This is a thing all across Asia, but it’s definitely a thing in China. Shoeless households are important, but you don’t want to get your feet dirty or cold by walking around the house barefoot either. You’re not a barbarian after all.
Enter indoor and outdoor shoes. You can opt for cozy slippers, easy slip-on shoes like sliders, flip flops, or even Crocs, or have dedicated inside trainers.
Leave your shoes at the door, no matter how long you’re staying at someone’s house. You might be dropping something off, having tea, and leaving.
You might just be waiting for someone to put their coat on and shelter from the rain.
Either stay on the doormat or take your shoes off. Those are your options. Wearing outdoor shoes inside someone’s home is not an option.
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3. It is 100% Acceptable to Eat an Entire Meal Out of a Plastic Bag.
This might sound like a weird take on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s spaghetti policy episode, but it’s real. A lot of vendors only do takeout food, even for hot noodles that are covered in sauce.
You can definitely be given noodles in a plastic bag to eat. It’s normally reinforced so it doesn’t split or leak but it’s a thing. Think of it like a cheaper takeout container.
Likewise, if you’re shopping for lunch in a market, everything you’ll be given is likely to be in a plastic bag due to being measured by weight. Want to snack on some strawberries? Plastic bag.
Want a small loaf of bread? Plastic bag? It’s definitely not a sustainable option, but it’s a thing in China, especially in the bigger cities with street food markets.
4. The Party Doesn’t REALLY Start Till 1 am.
Okay, so if you’re going out in China, you better have some stamina. Chinese people go hard!
If you’re trying to put a night out together with friends, don’t suggest hitting the bars at 9 pm, you’re going to be hitting the start of proper party time at around 1 am. And that’s just the start.
You’ll be partying for a few hours and coming home when others are heading out to work. It’s hardcore.
Make sure you have an amazing hangover cure (hot water, anyone?), or have a completely clear schedule for the next day.
It does mean that you can get some amazing drunk food on the way home with hearty noodles, soups, meat, and more sizzling until late across the major cities and near the main bars and clubs.
5. If You’re Sick, Wear a Mask. It’s Only the Polite Thing to Do Since You’re a Walking Biohazard.
Right, this is even more of a thing since the pandemic, but China and many Asian countries were pro-mask for years before due to the SARS outbreak.
If you start to feel even a little bit ill or get a cold, you should wear a mask out in public. It’s literally the polite thing to do. No one wants your germs!
The best thing of course is to stay home, but if you need to go to work or go grocery shopping, you’ll need a mask. That way if you look rough or start coughing, you won’t get as many weird or worried looks from those around you.
Masks are regularly available and most Chinese institutions and homes will have a stack of them just like you’d have a supply of tissues or bandaids in your bathroom. It’s just a part of being sick.
6. If You Need to Spit, You Probably Should… Indoors, Outdoors, with Your In-laws, with Your Employer, etc, etc. The World is Fair Game.
This is one that I definitely could’ve done with a head’s up about because if you don’t know about the spitting thing in China you end up thinking everyone is mad.
So, in public a lot of people will just spit on the sidewalk or into containers without any kind of shame or second thought. It definitely feels weird when you first start seeing it.
There are a few reasons why. With the higher pollution levels and the high smoking rates, people often have a bad taste in their mouth or extra phlegm or spit that they want to get out.
There’s also a theory about Chinese medicine saying you’re getting rid of extra fluid to balance your body, but whatever the reason, don’t be surprised if you see people young and old wildly spitting on the street. It’s fine.
7. Street Signs are Optional. Traffic is Based on the Discrepancy of the Traffic Flow.
If you’ve ever lived in New York or London, you’ll be very familiar with the suggestion of traffic and street signs.
Essentially, traffic around China depends on the flow. It does take going with the flow to a whole other level and it takes some getting used to for sure!
There are traffic lights and crossings that follow a red, orange, and green light system, but in terms of the right of way, it’s a lot trickier.
Cars can turn right even at a red light which makes jaywalking a bit confusing in China. If you can, travel around with a local until you get the hang of the traffic flow and rules in your local area.
8. Everyone has a Price… Even Doctors.
Money talks in a big way which might surprise a lot of people. A lot of systems and people will say that they can’t help you or that what you’re asking is impossible until you offer money, gifts, or a favor.
It’s a pretty common practice and the corruption vibes are real – especially in the healthcare industry!
You might think that doctors are moral people who will help patients regardless, but it’s been revealed time after time that doctors in China receive thousands of dollars worth of bribes and gifts each year.
One senior doctor who was taken to court actually received over $18m in cash, car parking spaces, properties, and more. It’s ridiculous!
9. Personal Space is a Luxury for Rich People.
It’s no secret that especially in the cities, overpopulation is an issue in China. You end up living in small units in skyscrapers and often feel like you’re living on top of each other.
It’s not ideal but the overall cost of living does tend to be cheaper than in the US.
If you want something with more space, especially outdoor space, you’re going to be paying top dollar to get it and often will have to live outside of the main part of the city.
Space is a commodity in the big cities, and it’s one you have to pay a lot of money for.
Similarly, if you want personal space on your commute to work, you need a private car or taxi, because the sidewalks and public transport networks are jam-packed.
10. Ma, ma, and ma are All Different Things. Don’t be Ignorant.
As both Mandarin and Cantonese are tonal languages, the same word can mean completely different things depending on how you say it.
It’s not easy to get the hang of at first, but you can always use the context around you to work out which version of ‘ma’ the person is wanting to use.
So with ‘ma’, it can mean mother, horse, hemp, to scold, or even just indicate a question. When you might be accidentally comparing a horse to someone’s mother you need to be very careful with your tone.
If you’re moving to China, make sure you learn at least the basics of either Mandarin or Cantonese depending on where you’re moving to, so that you can get by and not offend any locals!
11. Having Your Picture Taken by/with Strangers is a Normal Ordeal.
Your face is probably in the camera roll of at least a dozen Chinese people you’ve never met. This is not as weird as you think once you get past the first couple of times.
As a Westerner, you’re in the minority, especially if you’re from a minority like Latino or African American.
So, you’re unique to a lot of Chinese people and they will just come up to you and ask for a selfie or picture.
At first, you think that they’re mistaking you for a celebrity, but it happens with the majority of expats.
A lot of the time, people will ask before they point a giant camera or phone in your face, but if they don’t ask, you can definitely politely walk away and refuse.
It’s definitely something I didn’t know about before I moved, and something that freaked me out for a while.
12. “404 Error” is the Earthly Devil Manifestation.
Unlike the 404 error message in the West which is mostly just a site that’s broken or a page that’s been taken down, in China, the 404 error is everything that cannot be accessed from within a Chinese network.
Of course, you can use a VPN to bypass this and access sites that are banned by the state like Instagram or Google Maps.
Every time you see this message a little bit of you dies inside – yet another site that you can’t access while you’re in China, and there are a lot, especially if you’re looking for news or films.
The censorship in China is very strict and is notorious all around the world.
By and large, there are Chinese alternatives to popular sites and apps, for example, WeChat is the Chinese answer to WhatsApp and is used by pretty much everyone.
13. “TIC” or “This Is China” is a Perfectly Acceptable Answer to Everything.
I feel like most countries have a similar saying or sentiment to shrug off weird or annoying things or processes that happen.
TIC or This is China is the response you give when you don’t know why things are the way they are when something bad happens and when you see something super odd.
It’s a super versatile phrase that covers a multitude of scenarios.
It’s kind of like ‘It is what it is’ or a shrug that says, ‘Well what are you going to do?’.
It’s a catch-all phrase that you’ll definitely hear a lot when you live in China and you’ll start saying it on the regular once you’ve experienced Chinese life for a while.
14. If Something can Go Wrong, it will Go Wrong, and You Need to Accept That.
Again, this happens in a lot of different places, but it seems to take on a whole new meaning in China.
This might be because “This is China” or that the person in charge needs some kind of monetary motivation like in #8, but if there is something that can go wrong, it’s probably going to, and honestly there’s probably not a whole lot you can do about it.
A lot of annoyances in China are solved by accepting that this is the way it is and you’re not going to change it in a hurry. Accept it, take a breath, and move on. It’s all very zen.
15. “It is Impossible…” Because People Don’t Want to Do it, Not Because Anything Can’t Actually be Accomplished. (See #8 for suggestions)
This is another instance of TIC in a big way. If someone says it is impossible, it’s rarely impossible, people just don’t want to do it.
It happens a lot in workplaces and it’s normally a bribe is needed or other kind of motivation.
Think of it like when a contractor in the US gives you a load of excuses for why a certain deadline can’t be met – it’s not because they can’t do it, it’s because they don’t want to for the rate they’re being paid.
16. TaoBao is the Online Chinese version of Costco… But Better.
US and UK expats might miss a few different things when they’re in China, and one might be the megastore and general shopping mecca that is Costco.
A traditional big box store, it has everything you could ever want from food to electrics to furniture to opticians and clothing.
Fortunately, China has its own answer to Costco in the form of TaoBao.
TaoBao is predominantly online with some stores opening up across Asia. It’s owned by Alibaba and was apparently the eighth most visited site in the world last year.
That’s how popular it is. It has everything and you can get all your deals from the comfort of your own home.
17. Confrontation is Immature.
Confrontation is not something that’s prevalent in Chinese society. Going face-to-face and calling people out is considered immature and a childish way of going about a problem.
Instead, you must run around a problem several times, pray it’ll eventually go away, and then eventually hire someone to deal with it so you don’t have to.
After all, this is China.
Getting someone else to deal with the problem on your behalf, or accepting that this is the way that it is, is much more socially acceptable than confronting someone about it.
It’s considered overly aggressive and something that just isn’t really done in China.
18. “Mmhmm hao mmhhm hao mhhhm hao de hao de hao de” is a Perfectly Acceptable Phone Conversation.
Going back to the tonal nature of the Chinese languages, you can be seemingly saying the same word over and over again, when in actuality it’s something slightly different every time.
For instance, ‘hao’ means good, but ‘hao de’ means okay.
So, this very samey conversation is the equivalent of checking in with a friend or loved one.
It’s a common phone conversation, especially if someone is calling to double-check when you’re meeting or if they’re confirming something with you.
Both Mandarin and Cantonese have a lot of different common conversational phrases that look like this which can make it difficult initially to work out what people mean, especially if you’re not familiar with the different tonal sounds in your region yet.
19. A “Line” or “Queue” is a Mythical Western Manifestation.
Having lived in the UK, I know all about the extensive queuing etiquette that’s common all over the West.
There’s an order that is followed based on who arrived when, that’s how things work. It also stops congestion in inconvenient places.
This is not a thing in China.
In China, there is just a point at which you should begin to crowd aggressively. Gathering in groups instead of queueing is a common sight, especially in the bigger cities or at food markets.
There’s no given order, and instead, you just need to get the attention of the vendor.
Of course, you should still let elders go first, but as far as “I was here first” goes, you’re out of luck!
20. You Were Once New in China and Someone Helped You Establish Yourself. Karma is Real. Pay it Forward.
The reality of moving to another country, especially one that has a completely different culture to your own is that it’s massively scary.
For the first couple of months at least you’ll keep seeing and experiencing bizarre things that you soon learn are pretty normal in China.
It’s definitely a learning curve, so where you can, you should help other new expats find their way around life in China. That’s what I’m doing right now!
Be someone’s Yoda, guiding them through and really paying it forward. It’ll help them adapt to life in China a lot quicker and lessen a lot of that moving across-the-world stress.
Besides, helping others is really beneficial for your karma, and who doesn’t want to bank more good karma for future use?
I know I do! Help others and it’ll come back around in spades.
So, moving to China can be a massive culture shock no matter where you’re moving from and how much of a seasoned traveler you are.
Every country has its quirks and traditions that seem so bizarre to an outsider, but you soon get used to the different things and processes and accept these unique practices for an integral part of modern Chinese culture that they are.
After all, this is China!
Living in China was certainly an adjustment, but it definitely opened my eyes to a new way of living, and a new culture, and helped me become more independent.
I also met my husband in China and started a whole new phase of my life there, so I wouldn’t change it for the world!
With so many expat roles, especially as English teachers, widely available in China, it’s well worth diving in and getting that life experience if you have the opportunity!
Read More About China:
- Fun Things to Do in Qingdao, China
- The Truth About Teaching English in China
- 5 Interesting Facts About China
Vanessa Wachtmeister is a travel tech professional and the creator of the wealth & wanderlust platform, Wander Onwards. Vanessa is originally from Los Angeles, California, she is a proud Chicana, and she has been living abroad for the last 9 years. Today, she helps people pursue financial and location independence through her ‘Move Abroad’ Master Class, financial literacy digital products, and career workshops.
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I’m amazed, I must say. Seldom do I encounter a blog that’s equally educative and
interesting, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head.
The problem is an issue that too few people are speaking intelligently about.
Now i’m very happy that I found this during my search for something concerning this.
Love the concept of your blog and look forward to exploring your other thoughts on life in Asia. I grew up in Japan and then China. #11 happened incredibly often, to the point that you almost felt like a rock star. Japan, people were usually polite enough to ask if they could take a photo or wanted to pose with me (I was quite blonde in my youth).
When some one searches for his essential thing, so he/she wishes
to be available that in detail, thus that thing is maintained over here.
I agree with everything except the ‘no confrontation’ thing.
China is one enormous bowl of anger, rage and confrontation. Subways, restaurants, banks….people are constantly fighting and arguing.
JAPAN is where confrontation is avoided.
pic 9 and 18 are unmistakably from Japan. if you are referring to China, use pics from China (and more credible if those are actually taken by you). otherwise it looks like you cannot tell the difference between China and Japan.
I love your list. #15 particularly resonates. I would add/supplement it with “it’s policy”, meaning we can’t do something you want because it’s somebody’s BS policy, which gets treated like it is law or something.
It depends on the city too. Don’t expect that beijing, shanghai or guangzhou will have an empty subway. Something else you forgot: People staring at you and saying “laowei”
Still, nice people though 🙂
I’m going to China for one month this April and your post has actually made me really excited to get there and experience the craziness first hand! Having never been to Asia before, I’m sure it will prove equal parts insane and exciting. I’m gonna scour your website for some travel tips now – I know I don’t leave for three more months, but I’m just so psyched about it 😀
Loved this! I especially enjoyed #18 because my 10 month old used to walk around the house “talking” on the “phone” (banana, remote, etc.) sounding exactly like that. I didn’t even realize she was actually using words for a couple of months because her Chinese was better than mine. It all sounded like pure babble with perfect Chinese inflections.
#9 is Japan, not China.
I noticed that as well, but the sentiment, that space is a luxury, is still true of China.
Lol at the people who wrote this article was rude because it called Chinese people lazy. I lives in china for a few years, working in local Chinese companies doing business, the kind of things most foreigners will not experience.
If any Chinese person I have ever met were to work in an American company, they would get fired very, very fast. Everything is about image. They will sit at their desks playing qq games all day unless a boss walks by, so that they can stay overtime to work longer so they look like hard workers.
Don’t ever think about making friends with this country of sycophants. Unless you meet a Chinese person who has lived abroad, 99% of the time they will be your friends so they can get something, like learn English for free.
I have more bad things to say then good, but there are many good things about china. The food is effing amazing if you know where to go (find rich people they know the best places).
-sent from my iPhone
hahaha!!!
Hahahaha clearly you’ve never been to Mexico you have no idea what you’re talking about.
this was my China life but told in the best way ever! fab job…
When I was in China I missed Spain, in Spain I miss China.
Lol – this blog is great! I didn’t live there but I have several friends who did move there. I have lived overseas and have experienced extreme culture shock. It’s great to have that uncomfortable experience and then recover from it. I learned a lot about my home country, my new country, and myself. It was fantastic! — As for the other posts about lazy people – generalizations – people’s experiences – etc.. I just want to share that after I learned to be more mindful about what others were saying and listened for the deeper meaning, I found that it became harder for me to turn away and assume that what had been said was actually meant to offend me. I eventually found myself connecting better in my conversations and I started seeing other perspectives on the same subject/topic. I also learned to not believe everything I think, at least not right away. It was quite the eye opener.
Sorry to join the ‘you’re wrong’ band wagon, but…(not everything, just a couple)
I lived in China for several years and would often get feedback from Chinese friends that Westerners with this viewpoint of China were the reason many Chinese dislike us Westerners.
1: Spitting is not as socially acceptable as you would think.
It may seem like absolutely everyone does it, because from a Western culture, we find the idea of it abhorrent, so it stands out to us. The issues that you see with spitting result from education issues. Many city children from the bigger, more developed areas learn at school about the concept of ‘cultivating civilisation’ which is pretty much just adapting more hygienic behaviours and getting rid of those icky ones, such as spitting and allowing children to go toilet just about anywhere. Whilst with the lower social strata in China, these practices are still common, in large, developed city areas, people who do this are viewed by those who don’t as being ‘uncultured’.
2: Disinterest does not equate to laziness.
In China, relationships are the way to get things done. Whilst in Western countries, much of what is common practice in China is viewed as corruption or bribery, in China, due to social circumstances caused by poverty levels and population size, without these ‘back doors’ nothing would ever get done. It is used in every facet of Chinese life and is commonly accepted as the status quo. Whilst it would be unacceptable in many other places, monetary boons are commonplace in China. If it is so widely used and accepted, is it really corruption? It is simply people using the tools within their means to achieve a goal.
(FYI before anyone jumps on me in relation to political corruption, that is a very different story. I am talking about paying the doctor or nurse a little more at the hospital to have better treatment, or ‘donating’ money to a school so a child can attend and have access to a better school.)
The use of ‘not possible’ is commonly used with foreigners by Chinese tellers at counters in bank, telephone companies, travel agents, VISA agents etc. because quite often they assume that, as usually the processes can be long, repetitive and arduous for non-Chinese Nationals, a Westerner will not want to bother and they feel they are saving you the trouble. There are also many restrictions placed on services. Chinese phone companies will not allow you to sign up without a Chinese personal ID card, and will not accept a passport instead. This is why you (and most Chinese) go to the smaller, street stalls to buy sim cards; the process at the big offices is too taxing. Chinese exclusivity often is the reason for ‘not possible’ and the assumption that the process will be too difficult. However, I know that they do come across as just being lazy, so it can be hard to determine what the real case is. Best to just persevere with them and return to ‘not possible’ with a ‘not acceptable’. Eventually you get your way. It’s like bargaining at markets. The harder you push the faster they bend.
Your other points were fun and entertaining to read!
Enjoy your time in China, hope you enjoy the better aspects of it!
great post and soo true 🙂 😀
I personally thought Chinese people are a bit lazy, until I moved to Cyprus. This is where laziness rules! I never realized before how effective and fast China is. You go to a bank – you get your new bank card when your turn comes. Here you have to wait for two weeks. In China they repair your watch within a day – here they send to the manufacturer, and it takes two months. Any taobao shipment across China is 3 days, fast and cheap! Here we don’t even shop online, no way. In summer all the paperwork here slows down twice “because of hot weather”… I even saw a Walmart closed on a weekday here!! Never in China, they work long hours, and close for half a day only for the Spring Festival. I know it all comes from the supply-and-demand ratio in a certain country, but still, compared to so many other places, China is fast and effective. And it’s absolutely ok to urge them and rush them if they are slow sometimes, whereas here in Cyprus they take offence.
From a Chinese born Chinese, some are not true for me, I have never, yes, never spit either at home or in public, unless I found a trash can….I don’t ask foreigners for pictures unless we become friends and they have to leave or I have to leave, I will ask for a photo with them just for the memory of the good past….and, I don’t know how many things are gonna change when I arrive in America the day after tomorrow, might be another cultural shock, huh
Lived in Dalian for 2 years and SO many of these are absolutely spot on (7,8,9,11 and 13 especially hit home). I will say the people I worked with were very hard working, but in the normal day to day stuff I did find a lot of ‘this will do for now’ attitude. They were not lazy, it is that there was no real reward for doing a good job the first time. Once they are around you for a bit, that changes and you see the real person underneath, not the one conditioned to just do what it takes to make it through the job. I personally had a wonderful time there and met some AWESOME people while there. On the picture thing, there must be 300 photos of my son running around China. 🙂
I must say, I think most of these things (with an exception of the slippers) are common ground living abroad, just about anywhere.
True just that in China these previous points are what points out the most , instead in western countries our concept of politeness is to say goodmoring when you enter in a place and say thank you in china you can do it, but its not what points out the most. What points of the most in not to touch your food with the hands thats why they use so many plastic bags #3
P.: I love hot water
Have to say, all sounds pretty dead on! Although, in my experience, the party starts at 8pm and ends roughly at 9:30/10pm (although that could just be the part of Hunan I have been placed in). Also got to say though, Chinese organisation is truly a thing of beauty, always a surprise, never know when you are needed or what to expect, so many surprise holidays this year and so many school parades missed due to the morning calls at 6:55; “There is a school parade at 7am, can you come?”.
Having grown up in Macau, I’ll have to agree with a lot of this! I didn’t experience any cultural shock simply because I was a part of the culture myself, but I relate to a lot of the things you say!
There’s another thing I’d like to add: if you speak their language you will be treated like royalty, and it’s in Hong Kong and Macau that you can get the latest techno gadgets for cheap!
PS – I still make people leave their shoes at my door, haha!
I have to agree with most of this except #5. They only wear the mask for protection from the pollution. They will rarely wear one if sick. That’s more Japanese style. And the ma’s you wrote are traditional manadarin mainly used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. It should be 马，蚂，妈，骂
I was reading this and had to pause to make sure you were talking about China, not Korea!! I guess some things are universal. Universally Asian.
I like # 5, wear a mask if you’re sick. #14 is simply Murphy’s law, restate. If anything can go wrong, it can and will go wrong. Here in the West, we use it to plan for the inevitable crash. Ie, carry a spare tire, etc.
Quite a different view of life. Enjoy. Remember to keep your outdoor shoes out of reach of the “critters”
Omg! I lived in china (shenyang) for 2 and a half years! Got married there (to an afican man which was so scandalous- as we were the first foreigners in the city to get married there….and BI-RACIAL! EGADS!!- that hundreds of uninvited people came to my wedding, photographed it, climbed gates for a better view and held babies up to see….a wee bit annoying.) and eventually got kicked out when I was pregnant because of my blood type. I can relate to everything you posted and probably several other things. Lol! Being pregnant there was an experience and a half for sure!!
#9 photo is from Japan
I lived in Beijing for eight months studying at university international business and economics and commuted to my internship via the subway. This picture might be from Japan, but it looks SPOT on to what I would experience during the morning and evening commute.
Especially since the characters in the upper left of the photo is “nan kou” which translates to south exit in Mandarin.
soo…. yeahhhhhh….
it’s still from Japan ,
which also explains why half those people are standing so quietly without also trying to force themselves onto the train which is what would have happened in beijing
Have you ever heard of kanji mate? Educate yourself. It’s Japan, as can be seen by the modicum of dress style, and the famous act of cramming commuters on the carriage
I’d say it’s probably Japan too. People in China dress more casually. The men for example are all wearing macs which is very typical of Japan but never seen in China.
Nice! You can’t put a price on the wisdom of article #17.
I loved this! LOL! Great post!
Oh this is wonderful! I’ve been to China twice, but never for longer than ten days. I loved it, although it wasn’t long enough NOT to be grossed out by the spitting. The spitting… I would have to live there for a while before that changes for me.
Fell in love with the masks of Asia. As a medical student, I wish everyone would do that if they were sick. Or, preferably, stay at home. I did also find the custom that highly pregnant women avoid the public eye very interesting.
LOL at the “having pictures taken” one. I have bright green eyes and my friend was black, and we were in some rural parts of Hunan – we had so many pictures taken with us it was insane. Eventually my friend started wearing her scarf as a headscarf. Then nobody wanted pictures with her anymore. o.O
Loving your blog. Keep it up.
I lived in Shanghai for three years (2009-2012), and I think it took me about six months before I stopped getting at least a little grossed out from the spitting. I still noticed it after that, but it didn’t really bother me too much. I had to do it myself occasionally, especially during my first year when I had a terrible bronchial infection. I initially would spit into a Kleenex but later would just walk to the curb and spit onto the edge of the street. I admit I’ve done that a couple times since moving back to Chicago. I’ve never done the loud noises before it though – I just spit if it came up on its own. And never inside, though I’ve seen plenty of Chinese locals do that!
I found your blog via my 22 year old daughter who is much like you (or aspires to be) I am 46 and got married at 22. (I am still married to her dad) Your “23 things to do before you get engaged” was a hoot and spot on. Getting married young was right for me, and now I travel the country and the world. (but have money now so it’s a bit easier). I admire your guts and balls! Have fun, be safe and follow your dreams! You are an amazing role model for your girls. Go!!
OMG, I lived in Guangzhou for 9 months last year, and I agree with you in everything 500%!!! hahaha great post!
People doesn’t believe me when I say that Chinese people are lazy and doesn’t want to do 90% of what they’re asked to…
Since when the blog said Chinese people are lazy, and of all the races around the world, you sure Chinese people are lazy? LOL
15. “It is impossible…” because people don’t want to do it, not because anything can’t actually be accomplished. (See #8 for suggestions)
I think this illustrate the lazy with the text refers to…
to generalize and say Chinese people are lazy is ignorant,
there are many that are extremely hard working and dedicated
individuals. I am sure what ever race you are there are also “lazy people”!
To generalize and say the Chinese are not lazy is also ignorant.
People experience different things and my experience, his experience and a few of my friends who work in China’s experiences say Chinese people are lazy.
It is also rude to discount someones opinion as ignorant when someone’s judgement is based on their own experience.
When you have an experience, you will judge and some peoples experience is that they are lazy. So like you, they have a right to judge and have an opinion.
@Neto what that post mean is CORRUPTION!!!
@ABC, #8 means corruption, but #15 is the typical government worker response – mai you – in Chinese, ne mam in Czech, the lazy shrug in a US post office (pre UPS), etc. Societies under communism seem to make this a way of life and it translates to lazy to a person used to service workers ready to serve. However, I have to agree that Chinese people are not lazy. They have a different set of priorities and a different timeline from Westerners, but lazy is too general a term and not accurate. They are actually incredibly industrious and creative, but that’s for another blog.
your comments are horrible
I am not Chinese, but to generalize and call a nation of people lazy is racist, based on an experience with few people. if they are so lazy why are their students outperforming everyone else. your comments says a lot about you… and it isn’t nice!
June I agree. Plus, I would also like to add that in all my time spent in china, I don’t think I ever met a lazy person there! They work damned hard and accept the limitations of modern resources. How many Canadians/Americans (using me as a Canadian as a reference) would even support the notion of transporting a refrigerator by bicycle? Or carry large loads of lumber up 4 flights of stairs on their backs without complaint? Or work all hours for a few dollars??? Not many….if any!
How over-reactive. Go live there for a year, and find out that Westerners experience culture shock in China more than other cultures. Some cultures are more customer service oriented than others. It can be maddening to not be able to get the landlord to send someone to fix the electrical wiring in your apartment for one month, causing you to have to use the neighbors stove for an entire month just so you can eat. It can be insane how people apply for telephone service (it’s already hooked up, ready to go) but no one responds for more than a year, and until then, you have no phone. You obviously have never experienced these kinds of customer service deficits cross culturally, that can cause you to feel like the culture is “lazy.” This is not racist; it is probably culture shock. Go live in China for a year and let us know how it works for you. 100% of the Americans I’ve known who have moved there have said it was the hardest place they’ve ever had to live. Don’t judge so quickly. You reveal your ignorance.
You’ve obviously never lived in China and experienced the culture shock of not being able to find a single person who is willing to help you, even though it is their job. Don’t be too quick to judge what culture shock feels like. If you asked for assistance and someone won’t help you, because they are reading a book and don’t feel like it, even though they are on the clock, and you really need help, and they say it’s impossible, but you know they are just putting you off….that is the culture. Sure, it might not be nice to call a whole culture lazy, but when you deal with this obscene lack of customer service for a year, it is absolutely maddening. You have no idea. I wouldn’t call a whole culture lazy, but I totally know what she meant. It’s obvious you don’t have a clue. Get out of your culture and spend some time alone in China. Come back and tell us how it felt. The lack of experience and hypocrisy is astounding. Get out in the world and experience something else.
How rude.
People experience different things and my experience, his experience and a few of my friends who work in China’s experiences say Chinese people are lazy.
It is also rude to discount someones opinion as ignorant when someone’s judgement is based on their own experience.
When you have an experience, you will judge and some peoples experience is that they are lazy. So like you, they have a right to judge and have an opinion.
Also, to answer why they do so well, this came from a very annoyed Chinese student I mentored. She told me that to study in England or the US they have to be VERY wealthy, and actually 70-80% BUY their essays or hire someone to do it. In addition, actually Chinese students arent out performing anyone. Thats a stereotype you moron. There are smart Chinese and not so smart Chinese people. You have some nerve crying about generalizing when you’ve got NO experience to base your opinion on and then generalizing chinese people are outperforming everyone (with no evidence to say so – may I add) inferring if you’re not chinese you wont academically do well.
So pipe down you hypocrite.
Are the Chinese cheating in PISA or are we cheating ourselves?
by Andreas Schleicher
Deputy Director for Education and Skills and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the OECD’s Secretary General
Whenever an American or European wins an Olympic gold medal, we cheer them as heroes. When a Chinese does, the first reflex seems to be that they must have been doping; or if that’s taking it too far, that it must have been the result of inhumane training.
There seem to be parallels to this in education. Only hours after results from the latest PISA assessment showed Shanghai’s school system leading the field, Time magazine concluded the Chinese must have been cheating. They didn’t bother to read the PISA 2012 Technical Background Annex, which shows there was no cheating, whatsoever, involved. Nor did they speak with the experts who had drawn the samples or with the international auditors who had carefully reviewed and validated the sample for Shanghai and those of other countries.
Others were quick to suggest that resident internal migrants might not be covered by Shanghai’s PISA sample, because years ago those migrants wouldn’t have had access to Shanghai’s schools. But, like many things in China, that has long changed and, as described by PISA, resident migrants were covered by the PISA samples in exactly the way they are covered in other countries and education systems. Still, it seems to be easier to cling to old stereotypes than keep up with changes on the ground (or to read the PISA report).
True, like other emerging economies, Shanghai is still building its education system and not every 15-year-old makes it yet to high school. As a result of this and other factors, the PISA 2012 sample covers only 79% of the 15-year-olds in Shanghai. But that is far from unique. Even the United States, the country with the longest track record of universal high-school education, covered less than 90% of its 15-year-olds in PISA – and it didn’t include Puerto Rico in its PISA sample, a territory that is unlikely to have pulled up U.S. average performance.
International comparisons are never easy and they are never perfect. But anyone who takes a serious look at the facts and figures will concede that the samples used for PISA result in robust and internationally comparable data. They have been carefully designed and validated to be fit for purpose in collaboration with the world’s leading experts, and the tests are administered under strict and internationally comparable conditions. Anyone who really wants to find out can review the underlying data.
Short of arguments about methodology, some people turn to dismissing Shanghai’s strong performance by saying that Shanghai’s students are only good on the kind of tasks that are easy to teach and easy to test, and that those things are losing in relevance because they are also the kind of things that are easy to digitise, automate and outsource. But while the latter is true, the former is not. Consider this: Only 2% of American 15-year-olds and 3% of European ones reach the highest level of math performance in PISA, demonstrating that they can conceptualise, generalise and use math based on their investigations and apply their knowledge in novel contexts. In Shanghai it is over 30%. Educators in Shanghai have simply understood that the world economy will pay an ever-rising premium on excellence and no longer value people for what they know, but for what they can do with what they know.
PISA didn’t just test what 15-year-olds know in mathematics, it also asked them what they believe makes them succeed. In many countries, students were quick to blame everyone but themselves: More than three-quarters of the students in France, an average performer on the PISA test, said the course material was simply too hard, two-thirds said the teacher did not get students interested in the material, and half said their teacher did not explain the concepts well or they were just unlucky. The results are very different for Shanghai. Students there believe they will succeed if they try hard and they trust their teachers to help them succeed. That tells us a lot about school education. And guess which of these two countries keeps improving and which is not? The fact that students in some countries consistently believe that achievement is mainly a product of hard work, rather than inherited intelligence, suggests that education and its social context can make a difference in instilling the values that foster success in education.
And even those who claim that the relative standing of countries in PISA mainly reflects social and cultural factors must concede that educational improvement is possible: In mathematics, countries like Brazil, Turkey, Mexico or Tunisia rose from the bottom; Italy, Portugal and the Russian Federation have advanced to the average of the industrialised world or close to it; Germany and Poland rose from average to good, and Shanghai and Singapore have moved from good to great. Indeed, of the 65 participating countries, 45 saw improvement in at least one subject area. These countries didn’t change their culture, or the composition of their population, nor did they fire their teachers. They changed their education policies and practices. Learning from these countries should be our focus. We will be cheating ourselves and the children in our schools if we miss that chance.
International comparisons are never easy and they aren’t perfect. But PISA shows what is possible in education, it takes away excuses from those who are complacent, and it helps countries see themselves in the mirror of the educational results and educational opportunities delivered by the world’s leaders in education. The world has become indifferent to tradition and past reputations, unforgiving of frailty and ignorant of custom or practice. Success will go to those individuals, institutions and countries which are swift to adapt, slow to complain and open to change. And the task for governments is to help citizens rise to this challenge. PISA can help to make that happen.
Links:
PISA 2012 Results
OECD Programme for International Student Assessment
Related blog post by Andreas Schleicher: What we learn from the PISA 2012 results
Slideshare PowerPoint presentation: PISA 2012 Evaluating school systems to improve education
Press release: Asian countries top OECD’s latest PISA survey on state of global education
This is my interpretation of #15: It’s in reference to the fact that corruption exists in China… It can be done easily, but what are you willing to pay to change my “no, I won’t” to “gladly, I will”. It has nothing to do with people being lazy.
Also, yes, you (to no one in particular) can have your opinions. But you can’t say “I’m entitled to my opinions, and I know I don’t have to voice them if it’s insulting, but I’m going to anyway”. Like, really? That’s like saying, “it’s okay to call someone ugly, because it’s my opinion.”
@John
“They didn’t bother to read the PISA 2012 Technical Background Annex, which shows there was no cheating, whatsoever, involved.”
Whatever some technical background annex states, if honestly believe there was “no cheating whatsoever” you’ve clearly never been a teacher. Or perhaps you just have had zero interaction with the human race at all. There WILL be some cheating involved in the administration of ANY test, no matter how you do it, no matter what the Technical Background Annex claims.
Furthermore, no standardized test is proof that any child is smarter than another. Standardized tests can be used to measure many things, but measuring how “smart” a person is is not one of them.
As a language conversation teacher, I am always shocked by which students perform well on midterms and finals, because they may be incapable speaking a single word and yet have mastered the art of correctly answering multiple choice questions about grammar. While I applaud their efforts in studying grammar, the results of the test do no accurately represent the language abilities of the students.
I understood what you meant. By “lazy” you meant very few are motivated to do anything they are asked to do unless they really want to. That does indicate a lack of discipline for doing something just because it is right instead of waiting until you feel like it, especially when it is actually your job. Some cultures have better customer service than others. By some definitions, that can definitely be defined as lazy. Everyone else who commented on your post is over-reactive. It was obvious what you were trying to say, and I understood it perfectly. Funny how some people are determined to find a fight somewhere.
however you can not generalize and say that all are like this,
there is something clearly wrong with labeling all people the same just because of their race or nationality!
So, its the same as saying the French are all rude, or southerners are all rednecks, all black people can dance, or women – shouldn’t drive – ( which I do not believe, but these are stereotypes) when you generalize, you unfairly label people – I have traveled and lived all over the world, and have found good and bad in all people! And when people think that its all right to label people I think its a problem. You should judge each person as an individual. I have had plenty of excellent and bad service all over the world, yet I’m not out labeling an entire country based on my individual experiences, which is very unfair!
June, people judge on their experiences. If you experience the French are rude. You will say they are rude. If you experience lazy chinese people, and lots, you will say they are lazy.
Stop playing the racism card cause you look like an idiot. I bet you say the youth are rude, or troublesome. Is that not the same thing? YOUTHIST! YOUTHISM! YOU’RE GENERALIZING THE YOUTH YOU MONSTER!
Anyway *repeats what’s said on other post*
i have been following all these posts – How sad.
June doesn’t say French people are rude, She only uses this as an example that – one should not generalize from experiences from a limited few. Shouldn’t we all judge each individual for who they are or what they have to offer. If we live in a world where we group all people to a category, ie “all Chinese people are lazy” based on the actions of few, then we are truly ignorant. There are over a billion Chinese people in the world and I hope that everyone reading these post do not think those that support this feed, agree that they are all lazy!
If experience if what u need to comennt in this section, I Can tell u that I been living in china for more than 8 years, and what my experience say about if chinese people are lazy or not, the only think i can say is. Yes and No,
Yes a few people are lazy, mostly the young people who bord in the 80s 90s. The question is why? because of the one-child policy, what happend if you can only have a child? parent will give everything to that child, young chinese parents are so overprotective like rasing a young king or queen. When that liitle queen or king ground up, they still thinking that daddy or mommy will keep paying his bill, given him/her money until they are old, cleaning his bedroom. When that little queen or king find a job and start to see how the real world is, that is when all change, the start to receive order from his boss or manager, they will start to miss all the time of doing nothing at home, miss the mommy cleaning bed help. playing PC game with freinds and all those stuff. So that is when you see this porcent of the chinese people are lazy.
And No, I’m working in a Chinese company, all my colleage are hard working people, sometime we have problem we employee that do not whant to do what they are supposed to do cause they think that is too much for him(another little king). You dont have time for lazyness if u wanna keep your job, because in China is so hard to find a good job sitting in a office with AC. The easy job you can find is working in a factory 12 hours a day without AC, and in summer that temperature can reach 38 degree celcius. and you know what, most of the product you find in the shopping mall are made in chinesse factory.
Another problem that the chineses young people are facing now is the consequence of the one-child policy, For example a young couple get marry, and then they have a child, you have to raise that child, and spending money buying only one can of milk podwer can cost you almos 50.00 usd dolar here in china. Then ur parents and parents in law are getting old, and only and your wife can send them money cause you and your wife dont have any other bother who can help then with money. Your child need money for the university and need to send him money for the living expenses.
So my question is, Do chinese people have time to being lazy? if you are young maybe yes, but….
Reading Cat’s comments is shocking …..if the world were dominated by people who feel this way, what a lovely place this would be : ). rude, small minded, and uncouth! what a nice person.
omg…i dont know how i just came across your blog but i think we NEED to be friends. Im from LA, im mexican, and i currently live in beijing. i dont understand how we have not met but it seriously needs to happen. your posts make me literally lol.
damn, how is beijing treating you. Im from Mexico city, living in HK. have fun paisana!
hey Katie, I’m from Houston, Mexican, and living in Beijing as well 🙂 Let me know if you ever want to meet up 🙂
How is Beijing? I would love to give it a try, at least for a year. I am Portuguese!
Hi V, yo estoy chino pero hablo espanol. Me encanta mexicanas. We should probably meet up… I also live in Beijing