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Burping and slurping: All the stuff you can do in China that you can't do back home
It doesn't take long for me to adjust to the manners of China - the spitting, the ear-cleaning, the belching. While some folks are aghast at the bodily -function decibels reached (and indeed, the Chinese government is trying to curb some of the habits, with a campaign -- in Shanghai, at least -- encouraging citizens to "be more civilized"), I view the experience as complete and utter freedom. Gone is the pretense that I'm not actually stuffing my face. Gone is pretending that I'm just itching my nose. I can't belch really loud, but I can try. I'm a total spitter, which drives my friends crazy, but here I fit right in!
The biggest issue with some of these habits is that they're not very sanitary, which is why I carry hand sanitizer around with me. And true, I do get grossed out whenever I come across a huge glob of phlegm on the sidewalk, which is pretty much every other step. And I still am surprised when a tiny old lady lets out a huge, liquid belch.
But oh the freedom and joy of being able to let loose from the constraints of my culture - and without doing it the usual American way of getting totally wasted. There are limitations, though. A sign in my hostel informs guests that "anyone who defecates in the shower will be fined 100 yuan and kicked out immediately!"
I guess I'm not totally free....
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sherri Frost Nov 13th 2009 2:42PM
I had to laugh at this. My teenage son spent three weeks in Taiwan this summer helping a friend with her doctorate thesis by teaching English to schoolchildren. Upon his return, he had to be reacquainted with our culture - in other words reminded not to burp and slurp at the dinner table. He'll never understand why he can't! Perhaps when he has a dinner meeting with the boss, is invited to dinner at his girlfriends home or when he has his own children. There's still hope!
Sherri Frost
http://www.hypnosis-self-help.com
arex Nov 13th 2009 12:19PM
You forgot snot projecting out of one nostril sans tissue--which I saw some lovely mainlander tourists do at Taipei's Shihlin night market after they finished their meal next to me. I nearly threw up.
LEE Nov 20th 2009 4:24AM
I live in China 7-8 months of each year and while I do
see people spitting on occasion NEVER have I seen
gobs of spit on a sidewalk. I should mention that I
likewise have not been a witness people cleaning
their ears in public save but one time in a small city
square where a professional ear-cleaner had set
up shop. Sure, the Chinese belch but so do people
everywhere, it is a natural human response to eating
and while in the west we try to be more discreet about
belching it's pretty impossible to totally stifle its sound.
Ric Nov 21st 2009 7:50AM
I've never been to China. The only place, I've been to was Ireland and I didn't pay much attention to their eating habits. I was kind of grossed out by the sheer lack of flavor. The food was so bland... I was eating air, most of the time... it felt.
I'm not quite sure the surprise is about. I live in California and it's not much different from what you are describing... or maybe I'm just open-minded and things don't bother me.
Anyways, Americans and Asians are worlds apart.
I do squirm at ear cleaning for some reason... I've seen and old White guy do it. hmmmm... oh well. I try not to stare at others when I'm dining in or during consumption.