Some characteristics of the Chinese

China is a huge and varied nation. It is impossible to visit this country and fully appreciate it in one or two trips. I think a China lover should do a lot more to say I know China and the Chinese.

China has always been closed on itself and the translation of its name to Everything under the sky Like the title of the novel by Matilde Asensi, it fits perfectly, although for some time now there have been many doors and windows to peer into that world and its people.

China and its people

We can say Chinese in general but we must know that there are 56 different ethnicities that inhabit the vast Chinese territory.

The Han ethnic group is the most numerous of all and represent what we in the West call Chinese. They surpass the other ethnic groups and in provinces, cities and political estates they are the majority. There are so many that even represent about 20% of the world's population.

There is also the Uyghurs ethnic group, of Muslim tradition, the Hui, the Manchu and many others that inhabit provinces, counties and autonomous regions where they preserve their language and traditions, although always under the enormous and powerful umbrella of the central power in Han hands.

Autonomous Regions or Special Administrative Regions? I am referring to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Macao and the Autonomous Region of Tibet, for example. For some time to be part of the most relevant internal problems for China are the revolts of the Uyghur Muslims, for example.

How are the chinese

Of course it's about generalities, of macro observations that are made from macro and micron experiences of travelers and residents. No offense is also stereotypes that circulate around the world as the Chinese travel and move to other countries.

The Chinese are very domestic and very familiar people. Beyond the fact that the Law of the Only Child has prevailed since the 70s and there are not many people with siblings, family ties extend and there are fake brothers and sisters among friends, neighbors and co-workers. And they know how to be good friends.

Although one sees them setting up businesses all over the world, traveling with friends and family in tow, the truth is that they miss their home horrors because although they are a diaspora people at the same time they never get used to new customs and feel a lot of nostalgia, what Brazilians also call nostalgia.

They move within China for work reasons and often leave the inner provinces or counties to try their luck in the cities. They are declassified and many times a couple lives apart for months or a mother or father is brought in to take care of the child, leaving the other relative alone.

The Chinese they depend a lot on their parents and relatives, Economically speaking. Even when they have a full-time job, the cost of living is high so in one way or another they depend on a relative who paid for this or that thing or to help them with the child, as I said before.

They are great workersFrom sunrise to sunset, and since there are no unions, they are subject to government decisions regarding the value of their workday, which can easily be 12 hours. Like the Japanese, they strive to give their best, not fair for the payment they receive. Even the simplest people who only live off a street stall work full-time every day.

Therefore, any day off or vacation or long weekend they shoot from wherever they are to go home. The Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival are those times when the flow of Chinese traveling can alter the earth's axis.

It's true that the Chinese love to eat? Well, who doesn't? The important issues in life are discussed not in a bar or over a glass of wine but over lunch or dinner. Eats are eaten and businesses are closed, and meals can last a long time.

You will see that they laugh, talk, yell and sometimes have somewhat rude ways with each other and with you, but they are like that. There are many Westerners who consider Chinese to be cold, distant, unfriendly, never smiling, rude and somewhat dirty.. And that the Chinese in uniform are even worse, I have read the adjective of mini Hitler out there ...

Others agree but say that too It depends on the attitude of the Westerner. There is a cultural barrier and you have to be tolerant of differences, not be critical. The language issue is not their fault, but certainly value when one makes the effort to understand and speak Chinese. Communicating is another story.

With regard to education there are differences: you will see very gentle Chinese and others who shout, spit in the street and blow their noses as if they were alone. They push each other, want to enter first and do not respect others.

Yes, in big cities you can see scenes like this and many of these characters unfortunately work in public assistance so that becomes complicated.

The truth is that the Chinese among them are one way and the Chinese with foreigners can be another. Tourists must be patient and take the first step if they want to communicate. And I am not referring to the most touristy areas but to those more remote destinations where tourism is rare or not very regular.

It may be that at first Chinese are more rude or distant than other people, even other Asians, but that does not mean that they are not friendly. They may be less "civilized" in some respects (public toilets, yelling, and spitting), but these are things that are changing among younger generations and are nonetheless peculiarities of a nation.

The general advice is that it is best to know some Mandarin, something, to break the ice and encourage the Chinese to approach us. Many times it is not that he is rude or rude, it is that he does not speak English or does not trust what he knows in English, and prefers distance.

In this sense they resemble the Japanese, but once there is no distance it seems to me that they are more sincere than the Japanese. We hope that after this article, you have much clearer what the Chinese are like and that you can enjoy your trip to know the Chinese architecture and customs.