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| Useful
Advice for Tourists Visiting China |
Social Observations
- Communities |
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| The
aim of this section is to give those travelling to China
for the first time an insight into the lives of ordinary
Chinese People |
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Community
Inclusion
I will not do politics, in fact I doubt that anyone
outside of a simple peasant village balanced upon the
brink of survival, actually has a grasp of what real
life is all about. Chinese have a closer understanding
than most Westerners however...
I have noted that democratic systems tend to breed a
high proportion of individuals = people who will take
on the world, pioneers and entrepreneurs etc. I have
also noted that Chinese peoples are very much more family
and community oriented = they are a communal people,
and I know even the lowest paid send money home each
month for the family. They also expect to take care
of their parents in old age, and other family - we have
virtually lost this type of thinking in the West
I have personally witnessed six 20-something girls take
90-minutes to hang a picture on a wall - - obviously
the bosses wishes; compounded by street feng shui, effectiveness,
called friends and parents for advice, etc. Gawd knows?
It took me 2 seconds to eventually bang the nail in.
However, everyone was very happy with the result = a
picture hanging on a wall. Inclusion
is what I am trying to relate in this section. Chinese
people apply it to all aspects of their daily lives
automatically - and they are naturally a very communal
people
Chinese International and National Thinking
This is where you can rip up the text books and political
propagandae, and learn about how it really is...
Excepting specific aboriginal cultures (Australian Aborigine
and Maori especially), Chinese culture is by far the
oldest in terms of human history. They traded with Ancient
Egyptian Empires, and can track and date their ancestry
back to 19, 000 BC
Stop and think about that for a moment = twenty-one
thousand years ago, and still counting...
This is an extremely 'Old' Country,
known for millennia as 'The Land of the Dragon', which
nowadays tends to show publicly 'The Face of the Happy
Lion'. It is actually 'The Land of The Beneficial Dragon',
and will remain so, ad infinitum...
Chinese people consider any race that thinks with their
side of the brain as being family (Right vs Left hemispheres
etc), and virtually all are considered either 'Brothers'
or 'Wayward Son'
Chinese are also a most forgiving people, given you
admit your mistake and say sorry + try and learn from
it. The British, French, and other European nations,
did some very despicable and atrocious things here in
China just over one-hundred years ago. It is ok now
- we fought in India and Burma with our Chinese allies,
against the Japanese, only 75 years ago. I doubt western
history books even mention this nowadays? The Chinese
remember it daily
I am currently working on what I choose to call 'A Potted
History of China', which explains Taiwan easily, as
it does other Sino relationships. I have already written
one for Britain, which you can get
here - it is very different from school books, but
quite perceptually accurate I consider
Appearance
Most Cantonese are slim, short, and slight in stature.
Girls are seldom much over 5' high, whilst boys are
normally around 5' 6". They have very dark brown
or black eyes, black hair, oval faces, and have single
eyelids = no crease of their eyelids. In old age their
hair does not change colour, and neither do they go
bald. They do not really have body hair at all, although
some boys may have hairy legs, and it can take them
weeks to grow a small beard. They are naturally of a
tanned complexion, and refer to themselves as 'The Yellow
People'. 'Wong' is Cantonese for yellow, as 'Huang'
is for Mandarin spelling - both common surnames.
Dress is nearly always either Casual or Smart-Casual,
mainly due to the heat and humidity. Business clothes
are normally trousers and polo shirt for Bosses, whilst
minions will often wear a casual style uniform consisting
of slacks and short sleeved shirt. Schoolchildren wear
jogging type suits, of uniform conformity. Everyday
streetware is invariably jeans and tee-shirt. Evenings
echo business days, with boys in trousers and top, whilst
girls love to dress in the latest and most varied fashions
imaginable.
Many city based Cantonese will spend fortunes on hairstyles,
and girls especially go for many facials and hair colouring's
and/or styling's. Modern girls all want to be white
- and spend fortunes on creams and lotions! In the West,
we all want to be tanned - and this disparity amuses
me!
Most Cantonese are very short-sighted, and you can guarantee
that around 80% of girls, and 70% of boys need to wear
glasses from a very early age. Most people you meet
will wear contact lenses.
To create individuality, most girls rely on hairstyles
and clothing. Boys tend to think this is stupid - whilst
loving the results hehe! Instead boys tend to buy the
best shoes, wrist watches, and latest gadgets such as
mobile phones, I-Pods, etc
Jewellery is very popular and common. Jade is revered
above virtually all other adornments, although gold
and diamonds are always very popular. Nearly all jewellery
worn by Cantonese is small, dainty, and very fine =
cultured. Points to note: Modern girls like to adopt
the Western engagement ring as a sign they are married.
This can be worn on any finger, often the middle finger
of the left hand (As their hands are so small and dainty).
Traditionally, a wife wears a Jade bracelet on her left
wrist to signify she is married - although for some
younger girls working away from home, this may actually
be a protective gift from her mother or Aunt, and means
- 'Boys keep your hands off!'. As well as the bracelet,
many brides also receive a Jade necklace, earrings and
gold on their wedding day. Boys do not wear anything
to indicate they are married. Otherwise, a Jade pendent,
most often a Buddha, is worn by most Cantonese. A crucifix
is also quite common, especially amongst city girls
Religion
I can't really say that Chinese practice religion as
we know it in the west. Cantonese are predominantly
Buddhist by nature and upbringing, and follow Buddhist
practices as required by traditions at certain times
of the year. They may also send the occasional prayer
or wish concerning a close person in trouble, seek personal
advice, or honour a personal date. Otherwise if they
are not definitely a confirmed Buddhist, they carry
on life as normal for most of the year. Other religions
are tolerated, most with good humour and a little interest.
They do not like invasive religions at all nor tolerate
their protagonists, as this is not a Chinese path in
life
Cantonese Street Thinking
Cantonese are very proud to be Cantonese
They deeply respect Beijing, and their own Families.
They are historically, the only Open Face of China for
Millennia, and physically removed from Greater China
by virtually impassible mountain ranges. This also includes
a much wider area encompassing parts of politically
defined neighbouring Provinces and Countries (Parts
of Guangxi Province and Hainan Island especially; Southern:
Fujian, Jiangxi and Hunan Provinces; and even areas
of Northern Vietnam). The areas in question will speak
Cantonese
The only Cantonese peoples who do not speak Cantonese
are distinct Ethnic Minorities. Otherwise, non-Cantonese
speakers are Usually perceived as 'Outsiders'. Westerners
are often treated far better, and are not expected to
know how to speak Cantonese. Migrant Chinese who come
for work are expected to learn how to speak Cantonese,
and most don't bother. Invariably, this leads to most
of them being looked down upon as second-class people.
The theory goes something like this: 'I am Cantonese.
I speak my home town dialect, I speak Cantonese, Mandarin,
and some English. You come here to make money from us,
and only speak your version of Mandarin? Of course,
no Chinese would ever say this - but this is how it
really is on the streets
I do speak Cantonese - albeit very badly! I gain extreme
respect for this effort, and languages do not come easily
to me at all. I now have about 3, 000 words I can pronounce
correctly and use immediately in daily situations =
abysmal really. However, I have chosen to learn the
right words to let me function at street-level. I can
haggle prices in local markets (Not my thing actually),
and get far lower prices than Chinese Mandarin speakers!
This is your clue...
Cantonese people are like a very extended family. By
speaking 'Local Cantonese' my stature as a person is
suddenly increased dramatically, and to a point where
I may be preferred and trusted more than a native Chinese
Mandarin only speaker. However, I also have to act as
a Cantonese man would in order for this to be effective
in virtually all situations
Most of my personal observations above apply only to
Mainland Cantonese from Greater Guangzhou area. In general,
Hong Kong Cantonese are very similar, but think quite
differently, especially concerning business dealings
and money! They will most probably speak a different
dialect of Cantonese = the one in all Western phrasebook's.
They will call my home city Foshan, pronounced: "F'san-na";
by the name "Fu Shan". Number six will be
pronounced 'luk'. Mainland Cantonese will judge you
by how 'Noble' you are as a person. Even if a business
deal is already agreed, they will refuse to sell to
you if you are not in their eyes a 'Noble and Honourable'
person. Contrarily, most Hong Kong Cantonese will make
a deal with anyone (The ones who use the other dialect).
The only proviso is that they make 'One sale only, for
the maximum amount of money possible'. They cannot conceive
the theory of lower prices for repeat business. This
price is for now only! Next time it
will for 'xyz' reasons, be higher. This does not apply
to all HK Cantonese, only in general, the ones who speak
the weird dialect
Strangely, and due in small part to immediate links
with Hong Kong + British history in this area, and the
eventual results - most Cantonese highly revere British
people
These paragraphs aren't exactly what I imagined writing
when I started to pen them. Guangdong has a registered
population of about 90, 000 Cantonese. In addition a
further 40, 000 migrant workers come for employment;
making a current total of about 130, 000 people. These
figures exclude Hong Kong, Macao, and Cantonese in other
parts of China and the world
To summarise this small section, let me state that Cantonese
welcome all peoples, and especially respect those who
enrich their culture and daily lives. Most will speak
some English. They are very interested in foreign people
and international events, and are inherently 'Outward
Looking' by nature
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| This
information is as supplied by the Chinese Embassy in
UK, as dated 20th June 2008, and/or other reliable sources.
Please check this information yourself as it may alter
without notice, and whilst we try our best to ensure
it is correct, please do not hold us responsible for
any errors - this is intended as a simple guide only |
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