Nothing in China is as I Expected
OLD MYTH: China is the most modern country I have been to, the rate of development here is faster than anything I’ve experienced before. About half of the residences in cities are European architecture, the other half are often uniform-looking square no frill buildings. Cities are planned to be physically spacious which gives a sense of calm and quiet, but underground is a bustling metro system - the result of a sprawling city. I haven’t seen massive-scale warehouses with poor working conditions that I was expecting to see. Interestingly, red cloth flags fly above most run-down buildings testifying their love of government.
POOR MYTH: the excessive shows of luxury and wealth in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are intimidating. Luxury cars lining five star hotel entrances. China is currently learning to satisfy the needs of its growing middle class but I have not seen any poverty. People living in the countryside often live in 3 or 4 sorry blocks with other people, leaving more land around them to cultivate food. They have delicious fruit & veg in China!
DIRTY MYTH: cities are spotless, street cleaners abound. In the country you may see a dumping spot but the local authorities are making real efforts to clean things up. China is very self-conscious of its global reputation as a polluter and is taking on the most proactive measures I’ve seen to counter this. Recently, all petrol motorbikes became illegal and electric ones only are found. Also, to own a car you need to enter a lottery system, the only way to bypass this is by buying an electric car. Chinese people do litter and spit on the ground but the government hires people to clean it away.
CHAOS MYTH: Harmony in society is taught, even though the population is huge, there is a sense that things just work. Cities are beautiful. Road rules are not as strict but bad, aggressive drivers are not common here. I believe this is because, despite having such a huge population, China has maintained a collectivist mentality in many ways. Japan still remains the most collectivist society I have seen.
SUPRISING PROPAGANDA: Every country has political parties trying to win votes. In China, this has been taken to the next level, the only billboards that exist are political, red and the communist symbol are a motif of daily life. Quotes and the president’s face are often present. The president Xi Jinping is a quasi famous celebrity who uses iconography of the military dictator Mao Zedong to win devotion of his people. This man is soon to be the most powerful man in the world so I find it concerning that he wants to be affiliated with the reputation of a dictator that has caused more death than Nazi Germany or WWI.
SUPRISING ABOUT RELIGION: it is illegal to promote your religion to others. Rewards are in place for snitches with reliable information of missionary activities.
There’s much more I could write about but these thoughts all come to me at different times throughout the day and if I made an exhaustive list of cultural differences, I fear how long it may grow!
