China will always be an adventure for the visitors, no matter how many times they visit this diverse and fast changing country. The collection of ancient buildings, engineering triumphs and famous archaeological finds make the country an alluring destination for history buffs. But the real China has little in common with the postcard images and stereotypes. This is a country, which needs a deeper exploration, if you want to have a better understanding of what’s going on there at this particular time. Here is our list of 10 weird things about China to help you understand the nature of this vast country, if you plan a visit soon.
1. One time zone for this vast country
We know that sounds weird for a country with 9.6 million square kilometers to have only one time zone. How can it be possible to use the standard time of the capital and consider it to be normal to have the sunrise at 10 am? Anyway, this is not the only strange thing about this country. Make sure to look through the rest of our picks.
2. Having kids is sometimes illegal
The People’s Republic has somewhat strange restrictions on having children. If the couple wants to plan a baby, they should apply for it and wait for the certificate, which will give them the right to have a legal child. The so-called Birth Permit gives a new meaning to family planning.
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3. What about the number of Christians?
Religion has always been in the centre of the Chinese culture throughout all its history. Interestingly, nowadays this country is considered to be an atheist one. Though China is referred as a country where Buddhism or Confucianism is believed to have deep roots, the underground Christian population is rapidly increasing. In a few years, according to some official data, there will be more Christians here than in any other country including the USA.
4. Staying in bed a month after giving birth
Medicine takes on somewhat traditional nature in China. There are more or less weird treatments that are never practiced in other countries of the world. What comes to women who have delivered a baby, they have to stay in bed a month. Such kind of restrictive confinement excludes any actions, including bathing or walking. Another component of this “treatment” is nutritious food, which is supposed to be good for women to recover.
5. Pajamas are the comfy “attire” for morning activities
Not many people living in other parts of the world will cross the street to buy breakfast or to take the pets for a walk in a sleepwear. But this is quite normal for those who live in Shanghai. This style gained a popularity up to the point that the government began attacking this issue, because they wanted to introduce themselves as the citizens of a sophisticated metropolis, but the so called “uncivilized” appearance of the locals didn’t match the reputation of the city.
6. Renting a couple online vs saying “I’m still single”
Avoiding the tiresome question “Why are you single?” isn’t that easy, especially when you intend to spend the vacations at home. The Chinese have found a creative solution as usual: renting a lover. Yes, it’s not nonsense anymore. The singletons prefer to take someone home with them to show their relatives that they are not a failure and skip the pressure, than to tell the truth about their status.
7. China is the “motherland” of copies
Pirated music of films is normal for many countries, but what comes to the production of copies of almost everything from all corners of the world, China is the leader. Even if an entrepreneur opens a new restaurant designed specifically for targeted clients, he can never be sure that in a few months a copy of his restaurant won’t be opened in China. Honestly, there is rarely anything this country can’t fake.
8. What we consider weird about architecture is a norm in China
The space-age architecture seems so last decade, compared with the multitude of bizarre building all around China. The accelerated urban growth and the newly liberated brilliant minds have created a fertile playground for the ambitious business class to construct all kinds of fantastic buildings. But the weirdness began taking on somewhat contagious nature up to the point that the president made a speech, saying that the art should serve the people and not vice versa.
9. Everyone goes on vacation at the same time
For some unknown reason, the Government decided that all the state employees should go on vacation at the same time. The Chinese New Year is the only holiday during which the massive vacations exist, because for the other days of the year there are barely any leaves allowed. What’s the point of making more than 3 billion trips in a month? It’s a total chaos in the airport, subways; we don’t even speak about the lines for entertainment venues. Anyway, this is considered to be normal and happens annually.
10. Drinking etiquette is way too confusing
If you think an extra glass of wine is a no go for a business meeting or at a banquet than China is not exactly your thing. The more you drink the more pleasant or agreeable you are for your partners. The paramount importance of the alcohol for making connections can be somewhat confusing for many foreigners. Anyway, if you have decided to find the gateway to business success in China, then take this fact into account.
