Cheery lion cover
(Lion statue: Tiger Hill, Suzhou)
The cheery, very toothy lion is merely a front for the post below! (Though I’d like to quickly mention how much I enjoy the googly, protruding eyes, silly tongues and pearly square teeth of most animal effigies in China.) Now, under a degree of pressure from Ying, I have been coaxed into mentioning a few cultural differences between the UK and China that are unpleasant on both sides. Both are likely misunderstandings, though easily taken to heart.
First up, Britain; Ying was busy running around Glasgow changing his address at banks and offices in order to register in China. In itself, this is not an issue and no more unpleasant than other personal admin tasks, however he returned to me irate and belligerent. Several of the unwitting bank staff (in almost every branch, I am told) had responded to his move to China with something along the lines of “Oh, returning home, are you?” I don’t believe that they meant to offend, but they did. The fact is that Ying is Singaporean; though even if he was Chinese, I have a feeling he would have reacted similarly. One can only hope that they will not do it again after the steely glare it elicited from Ying.
The second incident occurred in China yesterday and probably made Ying even angrier. Again, probably either ignorance or misjudgement led to this happening and to him being so upset. He was riding his e-bike in the cycle lane as a taxi pulled in to stop nearby and just as he was passing, the passenger wound down the window and, as is very common in China, he spat into the road. Unfortunately Ying’s leg was in the firing line and caught most of the obnoxious effluent from the stranger’s mouth. I have seen a Chinese person spitting at quite close range and I have witnessed the volume of it. Alright, it’s unpleasant, but it is also a fact. Ying, although livid with rage, decided discretion was the better part of valour and parked to wipe off the debris with leaves… which turned out to be poisonous and left him with a red swollen lower leg all day. At this juncture, I should add that Ying told a friend in Suzhou and he was very sympathetic, replying that he has been spat on more than once during his time there. It looks like it comes with the territory.
What have I learned? People are much the same everywhere; they all have bad habits, are victims of their culture and make mistakes. Oh, and I’ve decided not to spit out of car windows.
i hope every body somtimes wears a silly smiling face of this cheery lion.
Actually, a lot of things when people say them, they may not have particular intention or implication. Or some people are very ignorant to give some unpleasant statement. We may ignore them. For example,
HT went to London starting her new job with an English international company, she was full of excitement for being with the new colleagues there for the first month. However, the immigration officer said to her, you come for training. she was rather upset too. i told her never mind about their comment; even when your father was teaching in the university and went to do research in England, the immigration officer told him he was a student. So what, my status would not change because of your ignorance. why should i be unhappy of your ignorance.
to that Chinese man, lets forgive him with another kind of attitude.
i am glad ying did not go to argue with him.