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7.24.08

Beijing: Eight Olympic ‘Don’t Asks’ of Travelers

The latest target in China’s pre-Olympic tidying? Small talk. Concerned that inquiries about income, religion or age—routine in China, but taboo in much of the West—might offend visitors, a district Propaganda Department in Beijing has put up posters advising locals about what not to ask.

From the list: “Don’t ask about income or expenses, don’t ask about age, don’t ask about love life or marriage, don’t ask about health, don’t ask about someone’s home or address, don’t ask about personal experience, don’t ask about religious beliefs or political views, don’t ask what someone does.”

This level of intervention seems like overkill to me; no one’s Beijing visit is going to be spoiled by a shopkeeper asking them where they live. But at the same time, since I’ll be visiting Beijing next month as a solo female traveler, I wouldn’t mind if the posters cut down on the number of times I get asked where my boyfriend/husband/father is.

Photo by d’n’c via Flickr (Creative Commons)

Posted by Eva Holland • 7.24.08
Categories: Weblog • China • Tres Loco