Above is a photo showing a traditional style of bed, where during the Winter, one could stay warm by maintaining a small fire under the “bed.” They are very hard but still comfortable to sit on. (I didn’t have a chance to sleep on one).

One stereotype about China which I would like to address is the misconception that everyone looks alike. For Chinese people, there are only a handful of surnames and most share a common ethnic ancestry (Han Chinese make up over 90% of the population…that’s 90% of over 1.3 billion people!) So first let’s talk about diversity.

Countries which are known for their ethnic diversity (Canada, the USA, and many European countries) have grown to be diverse largely due to immigrants (a significant portion of which are Chinese). Immigration of foreigners to China on a mass scale is a relatively new occurrence, with high expectations of continued rapid growth.

On this trip, I discovered that many more foreigners are living in South Korea than I had seen in years past, particularly within Seoul. Relatively speaking, in most areas, almost everyone you see will be Korean. But I could tell many Koreans have grown accustomed to foreigners, as I was not particularly eye-catching or extraordinary (except when I danced in the street). I did notice that on buses or the subway, most Koreans will choose not to sit next to a foreigner if they can avoid it. But in my opinion, this is not out any sort of prejudice, but rather, a fear of having to use English. That being said, I was impressed with how many Koreans speak English, particularly older people. When asking for directions in Korean, I often received a clear response in English.

Moving back to China, I am currently in the city of Taiyuan, which compared to cities like Beijing and Shanghai, is not known for having many foreigners. However, as the capital city of Shanxi Province, it does have the most in this area. I had the opportunity to have dinner with two English teachers who came here 4 years ago from Cameroon, Africa. They cannot read or write Chinese, but their spoken Mandarin is very good.

The reaction of people in Taiyuan and the surrounding cities to foreigners is quite different from that of Seoul, South Korea. On a daily basis, I am confronted with long stares, people looking over their shoulder at me, children or teenagers yelling out “Lao Wai!” or “Wai Guo Ren!” (Both mean “foreigner” or “outsider.” Other people say “Hello” or random English phrases. If you don’t look Chinese in this city, you are treated completely differently. Some people may enjoy this attention at first, but after some time, it grows very tiring. Perhaps this is similar to what it’s like to be Britney Spears.

Diversity among Chinese people exists, certainly when talking about personalities, but let’s focus on physical appearances for now. The stereotype tends to be that Chinese people all are short, have black hair, dark and thin eyes, etc. Is this true? First of all, height varies greatly, with famed basketball player Yao Ming as the best example. Generally, Chinese people in the Northern regions are known for being taller than those in the South. I saw a program on Television in Beijing where several incredibly tall Chinese men were being interviewed. I wondered how they are treated by other Chinese people in their everyday lives. Hair color does tend to be black, and the hair styles tend to be similar to those of other countries. However, in China there are some very unique hairstyles for young boys, e.g., a bald head except for a small patch of hair in the front, or a patch on the back with a small pony tail or queue. Eyes range in shape and size, and I’ve seen some elderly Chinese people with very light colored brown eyes. Traditionally, large eyes and a high nose were most valued. Skin tones vary a great deal, from very dark brown (common among farmers) to very light white skin (which is generally preferred by most Chinese & Koreans, particularly for girls).

An interesting trend I found among several Chinese men is that many have long nails, only on their pinky fingers. I was told this is just a personal habit, since having long nails (or just one) can sometimes be useful. I guess it helps when opening envelopes or plastic packaging.

And lastly, I want to mention about body types. I know this can be a sensitive topic (especially in my home country), but I hope no one will be offended by what I say, for that is not my intention. I’ve noticed that whenever I look into a crowd of people, there is almost always at least one fat man. And very often, since it is summer and hot, he is wearing shorts and a T-shirt. But usually the T-shirt is rolled up so that his belly is available for all to see or to rub for good luck (not recommended). I found this to be an interesting trend, since many other Chinese people are quite thin. I guess my point is that, like many other aspects of China, you can see opposite ends of the spectrum very often in the very same place: dark/light, big/small, tall/short, old/young, traditional/modern, etc.

It will be very interesting to see how China’s diversity is affected in the next few years. I hope there will be balance and harmony, qualities often recognized and praised in Traditional Chinese Thought/Philosophy.