They Who Are Chinese

This is the point when I break out with a spastic grin on my face. I am trying to be politically correct here - Chinese. Chinese = China Chinese, not Taiwanese Chinese or Hong Kong Chinese. Try saying otherwise, mind you do not get bashed in your face - especially by people who do not wish remote association of China.

3 Dec 2004 - 9 Dec 2004 - Kaiping, China
I was most reluctant to return to Kaiping. My first trip there for a day on 23/11/2004 was more than enough. But as luck would have it, incompetency overruled. I had to prolong my already-extended trip and return to Kaiping.

Kaiping is situated about an hour and a half drive away from Guangzhou. It is a rundown industrialised city, where the only source of entertainment was playing pool, karaoke, disco, eating, eating and EATING.

(Translated)
Dude : "What animals do you eat?"

Me : "The basic animals? Pig - every part of it except its ass, Lamb and Chicken. No Cow/Beef. I'm allergic to it."

Dude : "We in Guangzhou eat all animals. Horse, tiger, dog.... "

Me : "???? You must be joking right?"

Dude : "I'm not! That's why I told you if people from Guangzhou goes South Africa, we will eat up all your animals." (Laughs)

Me : "Okay......." (Stunned)


Yes. I have heard of Chinese people's bizarre eating habits. But to actually hear the nonchalance in their voice - in fact, it was more like pride - it was shocking. Thank goodness they are not residing in South Africa (SA). Imagine no Safaris in SA. Gosh. It will be devastating to think what ignorant fools will ask me then about SA. No more lions? No more rhinoceros? No more giraffes? I reckon others will start imagining me living with only trees and bushes, wearing a loin cloth and imported coconut husks as bra. Hoo-ga. Hoo-ga.

Being in Kaiping made me feel like I was caught in a transition of time. Twilight zone. How do I describe that feeling? The place is like Singapore in its 40s/50s era. Maybe Singapore might have been in an even better state. I don't know. I was not even born yet. The buildings are covered with filth, obviously not white washed lest repainted for unknown decades. The road conditions are terrible, poorly litted and it doesn't help with their heavy human traffic. In fact, the drivers are afraid of the pedestrians. There are no traffic regulations. Walk as you wish baby. Who cares about the oncoming traffic. Just stroll across the road.

It was weird really. There I was in Kaiping. I am supposedly of the same coloured skin as them so I should somehow fit in. On the contrary, I never felt more like an Alien! To start with, they have a discerning eye of "spot the foreigner". And these discerning eyes unmercilessly stare as you walk. I went to the city centre one evening and it did not take too long before the discomfort of their rude stares hit and I insisted on returning to the hotel. Thanks but no thanks. I did not go there to be scrutinised. And in case you're thinking that I'm overreacting, I attempted to stare right back at them but that didn't work. They unabashedly continued to stare right back. Whatever.

- Quote -
"They spit like they are vying for gold medal in the Olympics"

For those who have been to China, you must be well aware of their spitting etiquette. A not-so-relaxed walk down the street, you will suddenly hear this deep throat-clearing sound. And before you have time to figure where that noise is coming from, a spital comes flying across your face. I am not exaggerating. I experienced this. This is the point when learning the matrix act is good - perhaps.

Manners - does that even exist in their dictionary? Minus the suppliers I work with (they have to be nice to me right?), the people in general have a serious etiquette problem. Don't worry about not hearing them. You will hear them from miles away. Need to get through? No problem! Just push and chuck. There is no regard for service workers. Excuse me, please and thank you? What's that? Non-existent.

Kaiping (note : not China as I have not seen other parts of China) is a smoke-as-you-wish, throw-as-you-wish city. For someone who requires regular boost of nicotine, it is fine. But to be honest, it is quite disgusting. The carpets are damaged with cigarette burns, the floors are badly littered with cigarette butts... being there just left me stumped most of the time.

Third world?

This is the epitome of the fourth world.

To be fair, they can be hospitable - not that my hosts had a choice. They want the business. But that's besides the point. I managed to do a bit of sight-seeing for one day. They brought me to this place called Liyuan Garden, built by a tycoon in the 1920s (I think - lousy with dates) called Xie Weili. This grand estate took a decade to finish building. In addition, he had three wives so each wife had their own house on the same compound. It was easy to imagine the glory of Liyuan Garden in its days. It is now a museum to fulfil Xie Weili's goodwill of leaving his heritage for generations to come.

One of the rooms in one of the many houses (can't remember the exact details) captured a spectacular view of this little town. In first glance, it was nothing to boast about. I mean, what can filthy buildings signify? It took a while to hit though.... in front of me were buildings that were actually structurally beautiful. From the little of China history that I had learnt in school days, it was a shame to see how dilapidated this once-wealthy country has become. Right before one's eyes is a country that has gone from civilisation to non-civilisation. Sympathy or disgust? Hard to decide.

The best place in Kaiping? The hotel I was staying at. Oh yes. And thanks to my brother who once told me about the lack of oral hygiene, I couldn't help but tried to discreetly stare at everyone's teeth given the opportunity. He was so right. I've never seen so many black teeth with gaps! In desperate need of cosmetic teeth replacement. I wonder if they eat their buildings as well. Point to ponder.

I couldn't be happier the day I could leave Kaiping. I had seen enough and living in twilight zone for a week was more than I could bear. I had been out of SA for 3 weeks and was looking forward to going back. Strangely, I have come to acknowledge SA as my home rather than Singapore. There's a kind of imagic here....


Next up : Part II - They Who are Hong Kongers (is that what they are called? Who cares? You get the gist)