Steven (of LLW and Sinobytes renown) sent me an e-mail yesterday that has been make its way from Chinese inbox to Chinese inbox in an expedient fashion. I thought it was hilarious, and a some what rare opportunity to get a peek at the Chinese taking the piss at their own expense. Below is not the complete e-mail with photos, but the majority of it — organized into slightly more coherent groupings.

By far my favourite is the photo captioned “上海资源丰富,请随便享用” — the first image in the “Water Fountains” section. Let it never be said that the Chinese are devoid of sarcasm.

主题: 对不起,我们丢脸了 / Subject: Sorry, we’ve lost face.

See the images, with explanations, after the jump.

Steven (of LLW and Sinobytes renown) sent me an e-mail yesterday that has been make its way from Chinese inbox to Chinese inbox in an expedient fashion. I thought it was hilarious, and a some what rare opportunity to get a peek at the Chinese taking the piss at their own expense. Below is not the complete e-mail with photos, but the majority of it — organized into slightly more coherent groupings.

By far my favourite is the photo captioned “上海资源丰富,请随便享用” — the first image in the “Water Fountains” section. Let it never be said that the Chinese are devoid of sarcasm.

主题: 对不起,我们丢脸了 / Subject: Sorry, we’ve lost face.

Crowds


4月20日上午,约20万人入园参观。结果人潮拥挤,迫使中国馆内的许多场馆停止参观。当时好象只有澳大利亚馆依然开放,于是无奈的观众都集中到此馆排队,排队长度有5~600米。突然间大家一拥往前奔跑,原来此馆也经受不住人多的压力,只好关闭。澳大利亚馆内工作人员在门口不断向等候者道歉解释…… / On the morning of April 20th, about 200,000 people visited the Expo grounds. The resulting crowds forced the China pavilion’s venues to close. At that time it appeared only the Australian pavilion was still open. With no other option the visitors got in line at the pavilion, creating a 5-600m long queue. Suddenly the crowd pushed forward, and because the pavilion could not accommodate the crowd, they also closed. The Australian pavilion representative continuously apologized to the waiting crowd…


2010.4.20上海世博会第一天试运行,迎来大批人流,很多馆都还在最后冲刺没开门迎客,使得少数试运行的展馆门口人山人海。德国馆吃不消了,仿佛被人潮吓坏了,直接贴出了“德国馆,关了”。看把德国人给逼的。。。 / 2010.4.20 For the Shanghai Expo trial run, a large crowd showed up, but many pavilions were still under preparations and so not open. This forced the visitors to the gates of the only open pavilions. The German pavilion, unable to accommodate the masses, quickly put up “Closed” signs. Look what “we’ve” forced the Germans to do.

Shanghai Welcomes You

排会儿队不算什么
排会儿队不算什么 / It’s no big deal to wait in line

看着祖国的强盛, 我自豪!
看着祖国的强盛, 我自豪! / To see the homeland flourish, I feel proud!

几个月,一闭眼就过去了
几个月,一闭眼就过去了 / Several months, close your eyes and it’ll pass.

受点委屈没什么, 上海人能屈能伸!
受点委屈没什么, 上海人能屈能伸! / A little discomfort is nothing, Shanghai people are adaptable!

欢迎全国人民来上海!
欢迎全国人民来上海! / Welcome everyone from across the country to come to Shanghai!

我们准备好了!
我们准备好了! / We are ready!

上海欢迎你
上海准备好了,上海欢迎你,我觉得用这个眼神特别能表达现在的心情 / Shanghai is ready, Shanghai welcomes you, I think these eyes express the current mood.
On Photo: 上海欢迎你 / Shanghai Welcomes You

Food Services

世博园内48元套餐,有点儿强大。
世博园内48元套餐,有点儿强大。 / Expo Meal Set – 48 RMB — it’s a bit much.

橙汁+咖喱鸡肉饭+60元人民币
橙汁+咖喱鸡肉饭+60元人民币 / 60 RMB for a plate of curry chicken and an orange juice.

大家不要急 每个人都有的 不要挤啊~啊!~~~~
大家不要急 每个人都有的 不要挤啊~啊!~~~~ / Everyone don’t rush. Everyone will have some. Don’t squeeze. Ah!

不贵的 南翔的n倍。。。人傻钱多 速来
不贵的 南翔的n倍。。。人傻钱多 速来 / Not expensive, only N-times more than Nan Xiang [a famous Shanghai xiaolongbao restaurant]. Rich idiots come quick.

正宗“台湾”香肠
正宗“台湾”香肠 / authentic “Taiwan” sausage
On Photo: 15元一根的香肠,5元的矿泉水 / 15 RMB per sausage, 5 RMB per bottle of mineral water


绿色 无污染 纯天然 无激素 无苏丹红 无三鹿 无避孕药 æ— ç³–ç²¾ 无转基因的塑料碗”石锅饭”‘ / Green, pollution-free, natural, no hormone, no Sudan Red [food colouring], no Sanlu [melamine contaminated milk], no birth control pills, no saccharin [artificial sweetener], not genetically modified plastic bowl “stone pot”
On Photo 1: 我妈妈吃的是 “韩国美食–石锅拌饭” 55å…ƒ / My mom ate this “Korean food — Bibimbap” 55 RMB
On Photo 2: 但是我很纠结,为虾米和我们平时在外面吃吃的差那么多呢? / But I am very confused, why is this shrimp so much worse than what we usually get elsewhere

38块的“炒面”。。。这是炒面还是泔脚拌面?
38块的“炒面”。。。这是炒面还是泔脚拌面? / 38 RMB “fried noodles” … is this fried noodles or swill?

Water Fountains

上海资源丰富,请随便享用
上海资源丰富,请随便享用 / Shanghai is full of resources, please help yourself

这是喝水的家伙 不是垃圾桶
这是喝水的家伙 不是垃圾桶 / This is for drinking water, it’s not a garbage bin

五千年的“文明”古国!在党的“教育和关怀”。2010等你来
五千年的“文明”古国!在党的“教育和关怀”。2010等你来 / A 5,000 year “civilized” ancient country! Under Communist Party “teaching and care.” 2010 we’re waiting for you.

sb园区里的饮水处。。。看了你还敢用吗? 阿姨是无辜的 错不符合国情
sb园区里的饮水处。。。看了你还敢用吗? 阿姨是无辜的 错不符合国情 / The Expo water fountain … after you see this, do you dare still use it? It’s not Auntie’s fault, it doesn’t reflect the country’s conditions.

这不是sb会的厕所 是游泳池的消毒池
这不是sb会的厕所 是游泳池的消毒池 / This is not an Expo toilet, it’s a disinfectant swimming pool. [not 100% on this — the Chinese is a bit wonky]

Cultural Differences

很好 很舒服 | 我感觉很不好
很好 很舒服 | 我感觉很不好 / Her: Very good, very comfortable. Him: I feel terrible.

Excited?

保守估计 正式开园后人流量是试开园的两倍
保守估计 正式开园后人流量是试开园的两倍 / Conservative estimates put attendance at twice what the trial run saw.

Discussion

43
  1. good to see you put these up, and translated the captions too. Not sure who’s the source on these, but these mass emails are pretty common amongst urban office workers; i guess it’s just filling a hole in CCTV’s broadcasting, which likely didn’t show this. In fact, there’s a whole other blog post in this ‘mass email news’ phenomenon just waiting to come out…!

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  4. hello, i was shocked when i heard this news by the loacal tv station, we all know china have a large population, espectially shanghai which is a tipcal form of less land, more people. Anyway I am sorry about this as being a chinese. We are polite country that is for sure. I will be there in few days, hope not be so worse.

    • I think the most excellent part about the e-mail which was the source of the above images and captions is that it was Chinese people poking fun at the situation.

      The Expo is going to be a nightmare for the first few weeks, there’s really no way around this and if anyone is expecting different, they should re-examine their expotations. Big international events like this are always a zoo, and always way over priced — that’s the nature of the beast.

      • Not necessarily. The Beijing Olympics were both a) extremely well planned and organized and b) dirt-ass cheap. It also had the backing of the central gov’t though. I don’t really know the ins and outs, but I’d imagine Expo is probably the Shanghai govt’s baby.

  5. you insult feeling of chinese people! fuck you! we master of world best culture and people and race and this is lie here! you must apologize NOW!!!

    • @xuxing

      Are you serious? Have you learned nothing from the mistakes and hubris of the West? nothing from the fate of every imperial juggernaut ever created?

    • In the name of the worthless race of foreign devil imperialists I want to ask for foregiveness. Please spare the unworthy laowai as he is he is obviously lost.

    • @Xuxing, dude you are brainwashed, can’t you see by yourself that it is a disaster, and this is only a trial. Get over it man, it sucks BIG TIME

    • 你是来黑中国的吧? 如果你不是中国人,那你还真xx欠抽。如果你是中国人,那么拜托闭嘴。

      • 你是在开玩笑吧?我们华人美德的其一是在于能够自我反省,自我更新。如果对外来劝勉的反应都是指着和否认,那我们还有进步的机会吗?连我一岁半的儿子都认识这一点。实在是哭笑不得啊!

        小朋友,你没事干的话,我劝你还是回家读书吧。至少把那本三字经从头到尾给我好好读一篇,然后再开始把道德经给我从头到尾背下来。比起你在这儿浪费青春,写一些让人家能够从中认识到你的愚昧和幼稚的文字可算是对国家和文化的贡献比较多,也比较有效的方法。

        我国的青年全部变成你这个样子的话,我们可没救了!幸好国家领导没你们这帮人那么笨。

      • 小毛…

        你误伤了 =.=b

        我先前在回答xuxing。你要是也赞成他的话,我无话可说

      • 对不起!我是在回答xuxing,可按错地方了!

    • ha ha ha ha! Masters of the World in spitting in the street, picking noses,not holding a queue and littering,come on!
      you truly are the Worlds best!
      if only spitting was an Olympic sport!ha ha ha!
      Get a life!

  6. China is origin of japan and asia race .also is proved China blood spread on western world .white people have chinese blood too .china is the strong center of world. very superior and bring innovation to world .we chinese are the best and culture people and world belong to China and our decent culture .this is the true . china make expo because we are leader in world . and i no agreee to this the web page. is not true. . foreign no education chinese people have higher!

    • You do understand that this entire post was composed by Chinese, right? (tmd, and I promised myself I wasn’t going to bite this worm)

      • it’s a stupid, bored man compost these dark pix. Stupic captions hurt! I think the original author, and anyone promoting these have no common sense. Because obviously, it OUGHT TO be with an ocean of visitors, and expensive food. Why you got so surprised? How can you make fun in that way? Why not set our eyes on more beautiful things? The building of all countris are so special and beautiful. Now the most thing I want is to enter into, and find more thing that worth to see. I’m going to get my weekend tour well planned! So excited!

    • HAHAHA!! you are funny, is that what you learnt in your history class? If we “FOREIGNERS” have no education, then what the hell are you guys doing in “OUR” universities…

    • ha ha ha!yes,and the Chinese have been on the Moon too?
      maybe you should get out of China for a while sucker and not have your head up your own ass

  7. Re Chinese Olwen:
    Does this make you feel bad? Do you feel ‘lose face’? well “It’s not Auntie’s fault, it doesn’t reflect the country’s conditions.”

    I feel bad for the earthquake survivors in China, because “Money well spent”.

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  9. “It’s not Auntie’s fault, it doesn’t reflect the country’s conditions.” I’m going to have to disagree here…

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  11. Apparently a lot of people turned up on the trial day, which is good for organiser to detect areas for improvements.

    A guy from tripadvisor went to the the Expo on the 2nd May, and he thought the crowds were managable on the day he went. Look like the situations are already improved.

    That is efficiency!

    I am going there in June, can’t wait!

  12. so jealous foreigner of china. why? the world belong to China all. is our right. we give all civilation and modern in earth for you and are world big country. please friend to china. if yes good, if no, pls note ugly arogant foreigner will be beaten! you must respect china! i proud of china and people and expo! show glory to our country and leader. show so much strong we are now of world. so proud to be chinese.

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  15. “这不是sb会的厕所 是游泳池的消毒池 / This is not an Expo toilet, it’s a disinfectant swimming pool.”

    I think this is referring to the little pool of water you have to walk through when you come out of the dressing rooms to where the swimming pool is. In theory the pool is full of disinfectant so it kills your foot and mouth disease, or athlete’s foot, or whatever.

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  17. Hi there, funny shoots, but i’m not 100% agree :

    – During the first day of such a big event, this is not a surprise to find this kind of issue, please understand that this is not a little party here, organisors must deals with billions of visitor…

    – Hey American, how was it in Woodstock with “only” 300.000 people ?

    – My experience is that in any country, during big event, the food is always extremely expensive, and provide hight quality food for this so hight number of visitor is just not realistic.

    – By the way, i think that Chinese people here over react, and sorry but no, the new technologie are not done by Chinese, are you mastering in inovation like TV (England),Computers (hard to say, europe or US), INTERNET (USA), SpaceShip (First USA from Deutsh v2 technologie), Aeroplane (France) ??? No. Just take the fact, your computer, the keyboard, the mouse, the TCP-IP protocol you’r now using : nothing of that is comming from China.

    –> But don’t think that i’m saying that China is a little thing, don’t misunderstood : i’m “western” (french), i love China (my wife is from Shanghai), and i think that your country will have a really great and powerful future, you just started a little bit after a lot of other country because of locked military-like politic…

    • “Just take the fact, your computer, the keyboard, the mouse : nothing of that is comming from China. ”

      It’s all coming from China. 😛 They just didnt invent it lol

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  19. I have a friend went to shanghai expo last week. He said it was horrible…. head is still dizzy from the crowd. Never made into the pavilions.

  20. I have a few friends working in the Shanghai Expo. If you go up to say i have a friend X , he/she working in Pavilion X , they will usually let you jump que.
    They say this usually works as the foreign workers in Shanghai usually are quite friendly with each other. After the expo closes they have parties together, learn mandarin together and some even live to together.

    You if your in one of those huge lines give it a go 😛

  21. I have attended the Expo a few times now. Each time hoping that my next experience would be better than the last.

    I am from Canada, and have had the priviledge to attend several Expos in the past, including Canada 1986. When I heard China was to hold the biggest one ever, a shining moment for China and for Shanghai, I was so excited that I bought a week pass.

    The Shanghai Expo in itself is impressive to look at, has a number of interesting venues, and an amazing number of pavillions to investigate.

    Only problem… it’s in China.

    The behaviour of the common Chinese resident is that of a starving dog after the last piece of meat. They push, they shove, the don’t appologize for anything… ignorance abounding ignorance.

    I’ve given up trying to go. I just can’t wait in those lineups. I don’t mind lines. I’m a pretty patient person, but start pushing me, and I’m not the type of person to keep my mouth shut. Needless to say I got in a few arguments.

    It is not the China World Expo. It really is the World Expo visiting China. If you’re looking for any sort of respect or courtesy or just plain safe behaviour, this is not the place for you AND DEFINATELY NOT a good place for children.

    Until the Chinese can learn to behave in public, I would suggest this is a wonderful site for them, but for the rest of the world, it’s just plain nasty.

    Good luck to those of you who are planning on going. Let’s get ready to rumble!

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