The Air Is Dirty, Very Dirty
Every major Chinese city suffers of a severe air pollution even more than the biggest Western cities, sometimes three to five times more. This means even in a clear day the sky will be more white than blue, with the city of Beijing being the absolute champion of bad air. It is no wonder that face masks are so popular. When you are inhaling the equivalent of a whole pack of cigarettes each day you might as well put a cover over half of your face.
People Like To Spit, A Lot
It has to do with how many smokers are currently living in China and indeed, if you are breathing in dirty air you might as well have the pleasure of an actual smoke. Of course this also comes with heavy spitting. Everyone, from young lads to the elderly folks, can randomly stop and spit on the street. The problem is so widespread that there are actual signs, which forbid spitting. They don't seem to work very well though.
Babies Wearing Bottomless Pants
Oh dear, you better be prepared for this one when you visit China. It is very convenient, yes, but it is also hella strange to look at. Basically some parents equip their toddlers with a thing called " kaidangku", or an open crotch pants. When the baby suddenly has the need to pee, they simply gold it by the legs and it can do its job without getting anything dirty.....apart from whatever it is peeing on. Well, at the very least they are saving some money on cloth I guess, at the very best they are saving even more.
Dealing With Summer Heat
Chinese guys don't seem to have much shame, because they like to take off part of their clothing and roll the rest up regularly when the temperatures start rising. When they can't just take their shirt off they'll roll it up to their armpits instead, revealing their beer bellies. Walking around like this doesn't seem to trouble them at all. Pants receive a similar treatment, the Chinese men simply pull them up and above their belly buttons and roll them above their knees, making some fine shorts in the process.
The Crowds, They Are Everywhere
If you haven't heard this one before, China is the country with the largest population in the world, topping at more than one billion people. It shows. The streets are crowded, the beaches are even more so. You can go there and not see the water at all because of how many other beachgoers you must contend with. Even if you reach it you'll most likely not be able to swim anyway, too many people again! Your only choice will be to go to the countryside, but then you might experience what true poverty really is. Choose your poison in other words.
Eating Dogs
Thankfully, not that many people in China eat them, especially not in the big cities. Plus restaurants and the likes are very aware that westerners don't like dog meat, so they won't try to shove it down your throat. In the countryside though it is a different story. There hardly anybody keeps dogs as pets, they are way more useful on the table. Cantonese people for example (the ones who live in the South) are quite famous with their exotic tastes. If you share them, you might want to go there and try the meat for yourself.
How Not To Get Raped
Yeah this is kind of a problem in China. To such an extent that the police there posted a list, dealing with ways to avoid unwanted intercourse. It is simply hilarious and includes things like be ugly, vomit on the attacker, bite them, claw their eyes out, stab them with a pencil and similar wise advice. Most of it is common sense really and its usefulness is further diminished by the shock a victim would experience when they are attacked. Seriously, it would have been better if the police showed the women the way to the nearest dojo.
Flight Delays
Especially domestic flights, Chinese are notorious for their huge delays to the point that the commuters don't even notice that the plane has been delayed. For five hours. Waiting comes as a second nature to the Chinese, just like how sitting in a crowd is perfectly normal to them. Oh right, those crowds again, you better get used to them cause you will sit around a dozen Chinese faces constantly. And they will all watch you, creepily. At the very least the other methods of transportation are moving on time.
Public Shows Of Affection
It would appear that the Chinese people are very reserved with their affections. That 1 child per family law must have hit them so hard they don't want to go overboard again. Just kidding of course, but if you do something more than hand holding in public you will get frowns from the onlookers. Considering how often the locals just stare at western foreigners you might as well keep your burning desires for when you are alone.
Vending Machines For Crabs
Oh yes, Asian people and seafood go hand in hand. Remember that scene in the restaurant from Oldboy? With the living squid? And now you can buy it still alive and fresh from a vending machine on the street! This particular brand debuted in 2010 and sells about 200 crabs each day. One crab costs anywhere from 15 to 50 yuan(2-7 dollars) depending on its size. There are even refunds. If your crab turns out to be dead, you will be reimbursed with three living ones. What a deal!
