Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
workers, many with university degrees earned years ago, sleep in crammed dormitory-like
accommodations, often on the outskirts of town, and work in dangerous conditions with
minimal to no protection. Beijing may not have the slums of India or the favelas of Brazil,
but it certainly is very conscious of its blue collars (
监领
,
lánl
ǐ
ng
), white collars (
白领
,
báil
ǐ
ng
), and gold collars (
金领
,
j
ī
nl
ǐ
ng
).
Given Beijing's ethnic makeup and migrant population, the local culture is far from homo-
genous and is difficult to define. You'll see all kinds of behavior here—some that will en-
dear the city to you, others that will downright repulse you. Yes, people spit, so get used
to it. You'll see worse. Many in Beijing are well traveled and educated overseas, and have
begun to blend Western social values with their own. Others have had essentially no real
exposure to Western life, and live by a more distinct, traditional set of Chinese ideals.
Within a family, circle of friends, or work group people are considerate, generous, and
wonderfully warm. Expect to be invited to frequent dinners or have people willing to help
you at the instant a problem arises. There is, however, often little consideration for anything
outside one's personal sphere. People cough and sneeze without covering their mouths,
dump rubbish outside their front door, shout into cell phones in the subway, and jump the
queue if there's the slightest hint of a gap. And in a country of more than 1.35 billion people,
no matter where the person comes from, there is no strong concept of personal space. If you
pay too much attention to the things that irk you, you'll give yourself ulcers. This is China,
not the West, and values are different.
