All of Chinese 'culture' makes perfect sense, really

In recent months, I have been slacking rather in keeping up my contribution to Moonrat's book review blog, The Book Book. So, yesterday, to assuage my guilt, I wrote a brief piece on 101 Stories For Foreigners To Understand Chinese People, a skimpy introduction to some of the more conspicuous oddities of Chinese culture by Yi Shen Ellis, a Chinese American living in Shanghai (a seasonal impulse buy; sad, self-directed Christmas present).

While the title grates Chinglishly with me (I would have preferred something like 101 Stories To Help You Understand The Chinese if I'd been the editor; but I suppose we should be grateful that it didn't say '....For Foreigners To Know Chinese People'), it's actually quite a readable little book, and might well be of use or interest to people new to the country (though for us long-term laowai it's all a bit obvious). However, I do take issue with what I perceive as the underlying purpose of the book, which is 'soft power' propaganda: seeking to defend - often rather ineptly or unconvincingly - the irrationalities of much of Chinese culture and to extol its purported virtues. Do, please, check out my review for a fuller account.

To be frank, I am very suspicious of anything produced by one of the state-run publishing houses here, and am apt to regard any foreigners who agree to write for them as naive Quislings. I am very wary even of contributing to teaching materials or travel magazines within China, and I don't think I'd go anywhere near a book project like this. However, in 101 Stories I do detect a few possible hints of a redeeming irony: some of the explanations/justifications suggested for the more bizarre and unattractive features of Chinese behaviour are so patently ridiculous that you wonder if the whole thing hasn't perhaps been contrived as a very subtle piss-take.

You will note that one of the examples I mock in my review concerns what to us prudish Westerners seem to be excessive and inappropriate public displays of affection, a rather exaggerated 'friendliness' of men towards other men. I think this might form the kernel of a post I have long been thinking of writing on the subject of whether China is in fact The Gayest Country In The World. I have been inhibited from doing so up until now by an anxiety that some of my readers might chide me for homophobia or China-bashing. I would like to assure you that I have nothing against either homosexuals or China, and I generally strive as far as possible to maintain a neutral or non-judgemental tone in addressing such topics. If I were to suggest that China were The Gayest Country In The World, that would merely be an observation of fact - not in any way intended as a criticism or a slur (and I find it rather sad that many Chinese would be inclined to treat it as such).

There is, I think, a very high incidence of homosexuality here in China, particularly male homosexuality. The reasons for that are rooted in culture (women still tending to be regarded as inferior/subservient, and largely sequestered from male society) and circumstance (a large imbalance in the male-female ratio). In the modern cities, much of that homosexuality is increasingly out in the open. There's also an awful lot of 'effeminacy' in Chinese male behaviour, which may or may not be suggestive of homosexuality (but it does tend to mean that really 'out' homosexuals have to be absolutely flaming to differentiate themselves from the generality).

I see nothing wrong with any of that (well, OK, the rampant effeminacy from purportedly heterosexual men sometimes creeps me out a bit...). Unfortunately, the Chinese government and the Chinese people are still rather in denial about all of this. And so, if there is an edge of criticism in the Gayest Country In The World tag (a phrase that is rather popular with certain friends of mine), it is not directed at the country's homosexual community, but rather is intended to tease and taunt the rest of the population for refusing to recognise and embrace the fact..... that homosexuality is very BIG here.

You see what happened there? You ended up with two posts in one!