No-nonsense China Expat Blog

Hey Davon:
I am an older Black Panamanian who have lived in the US, Mexico and Japan. I would with all my experiences advise you to stick to your original plans,learn mandarin so that you can speak well enough to be intelligent in your responses to racism. Then go wherever the Spirit of your God send you.

I for my part have found racism worse in mexico city than anything I had found in Asia. So use your youth and energy and go teach about Blacks and Black Studies. Make people listen and take notice. How do we expect them in China to be less ignorant than US?

You are invited to visit:
The Silver People Chronicle.

Roberto

I agree with Roberto. In general I think Chinese racism towards those outside the Asian sphere is mostly just misguided ignorance than the hard-core hate you get from Aryan dickwads.

I’ve had a number of Black friends here in China that seem to get on just fine. I’m sure they’ve had their own challenges and more than once had to deal with negative situations, but definitely no reason to shy away from coming to China and educating yourself (and others along the way if you can).

Blacks are by no means the only victims of the rampant assumption that foreigners can’t understand Chinese and the stupid things that are said because of it, and though it’s a pain in the ass, I think it’s equally a pain in the ass for everyone.

Interesting site Roberto.

Ryan,

I really enjoy your blog; it has a unique perspective to life in China. I wonder if it would be all right with you if I put your URL on my “Our Favorite Blogs” list on my “Silver People” site? I think some of my readers would like reading your articles. Let me know if you approve.

Devon,
I’m a Black South American from Guyana. I have been working in China for over six years as an English teacher. At present I’m a teacher trainer and this includes training teachers from most of the native English speaking countries as well as Chinese teachers.

The question of racism in China is an interesting one, to say the least and I must agree with Ryan that a lot of it is ‘misguided ignorance’. However, racism it is.

Since I’ve been here, I have heard unpleasant things said about me by some people in the street with regards to my race. I have also heard the comments of other foreigners about how Chinese people feel about Black people.

The truth is I have made a number of really good friends here and I am constantly invited to stay in the homes of many of my friends and their families. I have second mothers and grandmothers here and I trulu love them as my own family because they have proven time and time again to be genuine.

With regards to my job(s), I have never experienced prejudice. On the contrary, I’ve been treated with respect and I constsntly hear of how much the students and their parents admire me. I’ve been offered and I have refused jobs at universities. I have been invited to do presentations and read scripts for advertisement… the ones that tended to present Blacks in any comical or negative way I quickly refused.

Yes, racism does exist in China and, as Jeremy has written, it covers a wide spectrum which includes non Asians, Japanese, darker Chinese and people perceived to be in the lower strata of society. The thing is once people get to know you, all that is changed which is why I seriously believe that it has to do more with ignorance rather than institutionalized racism.

I truly love working in China and I will always treasure the friends I have made here.

My advice to you is Come! Here’s your opportunity to educate about ‘Blacks and Black Studies’ as Roberto rightfully suggests.

Hi Chris,

That was a great and thoughtful response, especially as you have spent quite a few years in China.

From what I have seen and experienced, it is definitely true that those that you make friends with or grow close to in China will see you as a person like any other.

Sounds like you have made a lot out of your life and time in China - where have you lived over the past six years, just wondering?

I’m a black African and I truly agree with many of the above comments. I’d like some white guys to try this: Just go over the internet and try to apply for an English teaching job. All will move fine until the ask to speak with you. They’ll be very impressed with your accent and all. The deciding question you’re often asked is “where are you from?’ precisely asking about your nationality. The moment you mention any place in africa, you’ll get a usual response: we’re sorry our company have a policy not to employ non-native spaekers. I was wondering, does coming from Africa mean I’m a non-natice speaker? Well, after waiting in vain for the white guys (whom they prefer without qualifications or experience) they finally turn to the black guys. well, some black guys have become so smart. They beat the system with fake identity, claiming US or canadian nationality and since they can fake performance, the notion is that all blacks, no matter where they come from can’t perform.
To be Frank, the real black guys actually qualified to do this job finally give up and loss enthusiasm.
Though ignorance is a dorminant factor, leading to aggrandisement of the whiteman, employers should also educate parents on the fact that it’s not a matter of color, but know-how.

To be fair, I have met a good number of both black and white “non-native” speakers, with solid English skills and thick accents, that had no more right teaching English than a Japanese person with a fairly good grasp of Mandarin has of teaching me.

I don’t blame any language school for having standards in regards to hiring “native” speakers. I don’t think this is racism in the least. If they wanted non-native speakers to teach English, they could just hire Chinese teachers with impeccable English to do the job for a quarter the price.

Incidentally, a friend of mine from Benin, and a solid French accent to match, somehow got away with saying he was from Scotland. Kids continually asked him why he didn’t where a kilt.

2.5 years in Shanghai, then back to America last year.

Being black in China was not some crushing blow, but more like a sharp pebble in your shoe. With the weight of the other b.s., the xenophobia, rising crime and pollution levels, feeling guilty for (indirectly) supportig a cruel regime… it just got to be a bit much to have a nice pleasant week or several days, and then hear someone say (in Chinese) how dirty I was, or ugly and dark, etc. It was like Groundhog Day: no matter what growth or changes I saw in myself, I found myself back at square one, again and again, wondering why I bothered. So, when my contract ended, I stopped bothering, came home.

Yeah, I know all foreigners experience racism, but the added racism against blacks made for some disspiriting moments.

Were I in my mid 20s and not mid 30s, it probably would have fit more into my spirit of “adventure”, but if wishes were fishes…

That said, I miss my Chinese friends dearly, and there were many aspects of the culture that were just really endearing and warm. How’s this for a plan, I promised myself that when (if?) the Chinese real estate bubble burst I’d go back and buy a flat, spend some time there with the wifey and be her tour guide, show off my language skills, hahaha.. hopefully the comfort of marriage and the passage of time will add some maturation to China, I will appreciate it again.

Well said.

Thats how I feel as a chinese in the us….born in mich and all. But I can’t go “back” home. Oh well thats life in the us.

The best way to retaliate against ignorant comments made within earshot is to ask for directions - in Mandarin. That kills three birds with one stone. The guilty party loses face because they have been caught out; it gets them off the subject; and they have to re-think who you might be.

ps Don’t expect to get any directions by the way. You’ll just get a stupid grin, and some private satisfaction

Hey all,

Recently I had a friend apply to work at a university in greater China. My friend, we’ll call her A., is smart, talented, feminist-empowered African-American woman with a degree in Chinese and Theater. I have nothing but respect for her.

When she was offered the job, she called me and asked for advice. She told me she’d lived in Taiwan and Beijing for short periods (a couple of weeks), and asked me what she should expect.

This was really frustrating for me. I felt really uncomfortable. I have seen firsthand how black men and women are thought of in China, even by intelligent, well-educated people, and it still bothers me.

And frankly, who was a skinny white boy like me from the Midwest in the US to tell to this woman about racial intolerance in China?

Ultimately, I sent her a note and told her what I believed: I believe she is a strong woman, I believe that black folks face a really difficult challenge in coming to China and facing her, and I believe that she has the courage to face that.

I also told her, as I felt she had a right to know, that the only other black member of the teaching staff at the college, a first-generation African diasporan man with a PhD from the US, left the university and broke contract because of his treatment at that university.

What I took away from that was that I think she can have a good experience in China, but she just needed to be prepared. I firmly believe in what 黑人 said about a sharp pebble in the shoe, and what another poster said: that once you make friends with Chinese people, they will respect you regardless of race.

I have been in contact with A. since she arrived in China and she has not written to me anything intensely negative about her experience. Then again, she hasn’t been writing glowing reviews, either…

DD

hi jeremy,hi ya’ll,well i have lived in china beijing for two years and in my view chinese are really funny little people!the majority of them (80%) are clearly not educated,and are the utmost primitive minded creatures i have ever to met.In regards to they culture,which is filled with comical fantasies,(visibly seen by the movie “flying daggers” and a million others)they seem to stop growing mentally at the emotional age of 13 (men and women).I find it hard to engage in meaningful conversations with a man from where they believe black is less and white is right,where they have been stripped naked of their diginity by the minority(actualy i now fully believe that the only way to control such a primitive mass is by total control of everything,because if there was another system the country would be …. ,due to the multitudes of fake leather jacket wearing hermits that think they know it all but actually would find it difficult to locate thier anus),the current government has done well in their perpetual steady growth.I am mostly appalled by the behavior & hygiene standards in china,the hermits spit everywhere.You walk along the street you definetly not short of seeing a stand with the most disgusting looking food (or hermits face) you have ever seen.The chinese literally eat anything that moves (or not move),the chinese are responsible for atleast 70% pirated products in the world too.Now with this in mind and the many other points i have left out,i find it hard for a person from this background to have the audacity to lookdown on my race.Take the speck out your own eye before you attempt to take one out from another mans eye-i believe is jesus’ saying- For any of the black people that are thinking of coming to china i’ll tell you here and now that it is a waste of time and energy,you will not like it here period.the extent of which the hermits and the educated hermits have taken it is beyond recovery(to the extent of arresting and beating black people on sight-ask questions later typa-style)you will only bring stress upon yourself really.I would recommend visiting rather than long stays,china does have some beautiful spots that are worthwile to visit however if you stay too long you will pick up thier culture and way of thuoght and end up thinking like the locals that perhaps indeed you really are second hand class citizens.When i think of china i always have good memories like my visit to the great wall,my experience dating a local,skiing,cheap clothes gadgets and other products,yanjing pijiu,etc.. but most of these great memories are over-shadowed by the reality of being black and in china.The thoughts of countless racial discrimination i went through,leaves much to be ‘disired’..
i am sure the chinese in my country aren’t treated this bad,howevevr now that i’ve been to thier country and treated this way,leaves me with no other thought that when i return home and see one or two of them passing by,Why not?..

[...] 我看的结果是，原来这些老外觉得自己在中国很受歧视。。。http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2007/09/27/so-some-people-in-china-are-racist-against-blac… [...]

Thank you for your deep commentary Tyci (or Prince Philip rather). Absolutely Brilliant.

As a Caucasian from HK, I can say that although blacks and indians get it worst, all foreigners in China or HK have it hard, pretty much in a daily way. Be prepared to be told to go home, that your mother is a whore, ect… on a daily basis. And never get in a fight/altercation there, because even if you are in the right, everyone around you will gang up on you because of your race. Be prepared to never be seen as a real human, just a foreigner, not really part of their system or lives. And dont ever hope to be accepted as just another person.

Hi everybody,

Thanks for all the comments, My situation’s a little different. I am a UK citizen and was considering going to China this summer to teach at a summer school. But now I’m not so sure. My dad is African and very dark skinned. My mum is from the Philippines and very oriental looking. I’ve been too the Philippines many times and I’m not going to lie I have experienced racist comment. Nothing too bad, but it does hurt. I agree 黑人 saying that it is like a pebble in your shoe. But I think that as long as the comments aren’t too many then I would enjoy my time there. Still it doesn’t hurt any less no matter how many times you hear it. Which is such a pity because being a modern language student I am keen to travel and I feel like I am banned from going to a lot of countries just because of my race.

Hey Tom, you’re only limited by how you allow others to limit you. Why lessen your experience in life because of the ignorance of others?

I think we tend to critique the racist remarks made in China because we are laowai and that’s what we do - but there are countless examples of dark skinned people in China that have a fantastic and rewarding time.

I am curious to find out what, exactly, are some of the derogatory terms the Chinese use for black people or black man/woman, something like the “nigger” term used in the U.S.. Please respond because I know that in Japan it is “coco-jin” and many people use it in a derogatory sense. Like in Mexico one is called “chango” or “sambo” - the former means monkey. It would be nice for people of colour (black) to know when they are being insulted and not smile back at these people in their innocence. BTW I’m very much enjoying this issue that you have taken up in your blog. I still say you gotta give it to Mao Tse Tung who tried to elevate the intellect of a nation of ignoramuses. Also, Tyci please explain more about the “hermits.”
Roberto

I am singaporean chinese studying in uk,i get along very well with the africans,they are nice.However,some africans do look down on us chinese saying that we’re inferior coz cheap labour,eat dogs bla..bla..which really infuriate me.Most of the africans are too western-culture dependant,they shoud set up their own mind and stand,don be mentally colonized by the west again.Hope we will understand each other better,world peace!!!

@Ray - Word. Your comment is the bomb - it starts with the obligatory “I don’t hate black folk” line, moves quickly into the “but they hate me” part, heads straight to the “they have no culture and don’t think like I do” bit, before doing a touch-down endzone dance with that totally random “world peace!!!”.

Unless, that is, you were being serious . . . .

It depends on your personality, interests and many things. Chinese can be pretty reserved when it comes to expressing emotions. Most Chinese are very curious about foreigners, so you’ll get a lot of stares and attention. Some people don’t mind and some do.

I have a lot of Chinese friends in Hangzhou, they are not racist. You might have more trouble in less modern parts of the country.

Chinese tend to say things we would think of as racist, but they don’t mean it that way. So it’s important to pay attention to the tone and intent, and not be overly sensitive.

They often assume that you can’t speak the language and can’t understand them as a foreigner- even if you can- that is normal.

This entire thread worries me. I am a Black American married to a Chinese man. We presently live in the US, but at some point will be moving to China. I am scared to death, but I know that I have to be fair, as my husband has not seen his family in so long.

I will have to get a stronger backbone, because I am highly sensitive. My parents are worried how Chinese women will react to a Black woman holding hands and being married to a Chinese man. My husband and I hold hands everywhere we go, and that will never stop. We can get stoned and still be holding hands, but I’m just naturally worried about any physical or verbal attack.

He is tall and handsome, I am an ex model. So we are an attractive couple, but that might actually make things worse come to think of it :/

To the Black American married to a Chinese:

You need to visit the country. No matter who you are, it just makes sense. Maybe you have. If not, find a way–before you move there. It will make the transition easier.

Here’s a truth that Americans are often blind to: the world is racist. It’s not always racism in the way we think of racism here in the States, but people frequently lump others together and describe them according to their nationalities first and race, religion, ethnicity, etc. second. The people who do this are often kind-spirited and good-natured and hold nothing against the people they squeeze into pre-conceived boxes. Certainly, that’s not always the case, but I don’t think we should define racism abroad the same way we do here, in every circumstance.

Some or many Chinese (that I don’t know) will have preconceived ideas about you by your nationality and your race, but I doubt you will be openly confronted about it. I also think the ones who meet you will be openminded about getting to know who you are. You will help redefine some ideas.

The biggest issue, perhaps, will be your need to understand the culture into which you are entering. You note that you and your husband constantly hold hands–and that will never change. Public touching between couples in China seems very rare to me. I never saw couples hold hands. Twice I saw teenaged couples holding onto each other. That’s twice in three weeks across a dozen cities.

I think you’ll love whatever time you spend there, but go prepared and with an understanding of the people.

To the Black American married to a Chinese:

Since you are with a Chinese man coming to China, you will be more welcome. Even if you come alone, you will still be very welcome. Chinese in general are amiable people and China is a very welcoming country, therefore I don’t think you have to worry at all when you come over here. Just hold hand with your husband and enjoy everything you will see here.

One note to Wade though, holding hands are actually pretty common to the new generation of Chinese. I often hold hands with my girlfriend and I see others do the same. But it is just that you don’t get to see these too often during the day because we all are just too busy with our commute to work.

Hi! I am a Chinese girl in xi’an shaanxi
i don’t think that black people in china are facing discrimination. in fact, Chinese people always hate racism. in my school, there are many black students from Ghana, Chinese students treat them as their good friends.
But Japanese is totally another thing. yes Chinese don’t like them, because in world war 2,Japanese killed so many Chinese, they even held some killing games. and in nanjng city, they killed more than 340000 residents once. it is average every 7 seconds a person have been killed. people died there were just residents without weapons! How can Chinese like them?!

p.s. there are something about nanjing ,from the internet.

the Nanjing Massacre; the Rape of Nanking (In December 1937, Nanjing fell to the Japanese Imperial Army. The Japanese army launched a massacre for six weeks. According to the records of several welfare organizations which buried the dead bodies after the Massacre, around three hundred thousand people, mostly civilians and POWs, were brutally slaughtered.)

@susan
It seems that not many of the Japanese who participated in the war are still alive these days.

Are you in frequent contact with Japanese war veterans?

Unless I misunderstood, and you mean their grandchildren should inherit your dislike.

But I’m sure that could not possibly be what you meant.

to rick

We don’t like Japanese not only because their ancients killed millions of Chinese innocent residents inhumanly (if you have time, please search The Rape of Nanjing),but also because Japanese didn’t think they hurt Chinese so deeply, and they treat the war criminal as heroes and they put all the cold bleed killers’ cenotaph in the temple Yasukuni Shrine,where the advanced officers memorialized the killers annually. if Japanese acknowledged the crime they did, and show their apologies from heart, I think many Chinese would forgive them. but see what were they did? so, maybe you are right, Japanese youngsters didn’t kill Chinese, but how would you feel if you r a Chinese? Facing such kind of people, who killed you ancients in the evilest way and never think they did wrong? they even don’t acknowledged the crime they did in china.
Chinese are always friendly and kind to foreign people, we treat your people even better than treating ordinary fellow Chinese. I think that is because maybe many Chinese don’t have a lot of chances to contact foreigners, we are a little curious about you. so they what to know more about you, and to be your friend. So when I saw this article from a famous bbs:www.tianya.cn,I feel, maybe strange and ridiculous, many Chinese people showed the same feeling of mine.
Finally, I would like to show my best whishes to all your laowai in china, and… welcome to china! but Japanese, I am sorry, I don’t like them!

Hi Davon,

I’m Hispanic and live in Panama (Republic of Panama) and I cannot justify the racist and downright arrogant and high handed attitude on the part of the Chinese (mostly mainland Chinese)who have settled here. For the most part the Chinese dominate the small mini marts and groceries and many other retail businesses and treat the Panamanian locals who, btw, are Black or mixed Black in their racial composition, with disdain and disrespect. They are truly adding to the racial intolerance here and not helping to solve it. I can believe the comments about their racial intolerance towards Blacks who go to China.

Wow, this thread has come back alive…

I’ve nothing to add to the OP’s topic, but never shy away from helping folks like Susan along.

@Susan - you’ve asked the readers of this blog to look into the Nanjing massacre by way of the Internet. Please know that 90% of the people reading this blog likely have a clearer picture of the Nanjing massacre than many Chinese.

You’ve been taught your whole life about this horrible piece of China’s history, and have been shown endless miles of media to support what is anything but the truth.

This isn’t to say that the Nanjing massacre didn’t happen, nor is it to deny that the Japanese killed thousands upon thousands of innocent Chinese - 70 years ago.

However, if you can sit here, in 2008, and hate 130 million people for something that 1% of 1% of them did, you need to re-examine your hate.

So, if you could, return the favour you’ve requested of us. Search around the Internet for ways to balance your view and understand that of the 130 million Japanese you “hate”, very few hate you. Maybe, just maybe that’s because someone or something wants you to hate them. Just maybe.

Susan, you are hillarious! You must be contradicting yourself on purpose right? Great work.

to ryan
I can understand what do you mean. personally, I don’t hate Japanese youngsters(the word hate is too powerful ), but I don’t like them either. my grandpa was disabled in the world war 2,a Japanese soldier fired at him, and other fellow people dead at that time. maybe it is hard for you to understand this kind of feeling, but it is the reality. I only try to justify why Chinese don’t like Japanese, it seems that you can’t convince me to change my mind, and the same to me. anyway, the important is I don’t think most Chinese would discriminate against black people or any other people, just because their race or religion. I think, most Chinese people don’t interested in policy, we just wish to work hard and live happily. I am very sorry, if any Chinese have treated black people rudely, but I believe that most of Chinese are friendly and open to you.

to turner
I am sorry. it seems you don’t want to know what the Chinese truly feel. even if you think it’s my fault, I would still say: I am sorry, I don’t like Japanese.

@everyone else: as a Chinese who has been educated in the US since the 6th grade, I sympathizes with those who have been discriminated against in China, both as someone familiar with the Chinese mindset toward race and as a “foreigner” in another country. I believe everyone here (maybe other than Tyci) have been through things that give them rights to feel however they feel about the country. But than again, it’s a bit unfair to compare your experiences there with how immigrants are treated in the US, since one is a country who hardly ever had any foreigners, especially non-Asians/Caucasians, around, and the other is a country where 99.9% of it’s population are technically immigrants or decedents of immigrants.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, there isn’t any real excuse for how you have been treated. But a country not knowledgeable about/used to people of certain ethnicities tend to have more prejudices, that’s just the way it is, wrongfully or not. Racism out of ignorance tend to be easier to cure than deep-rooted discrimination; more black people being there might be exactly what my country needs to be educated in this area. Then they’d at least have a chance to know that there might be people like Tyci amongst African Americans, but they can in no way represent their race.

@FOARP: I was about to ask you how you or anyone else here can condemn Ray for racism (as inappropriate as his/her certain comments are) while tolerate Tyci’s post full of “utmost primitive minded creatures” and “hermits”. But than I checked out your blog and realized that it would be a waste of my time to try to convince you to not be racist.

To All my friends and detractors,
My experiences have somewhat molded me about Asians. When I was a young man stationed in Japan and chose to live as a Japanese, to the times when I finally made it to college to debate the acceptance of the country of China to the UN.
It has been to say the least a kaleidoscopic mental travel to witness myself as a person of colour always ideally for the inclusion of Asiatic people into the folds of our western like society. However I still feel that all the asiatics as a people have much to travel down the of recognizing the equality of the human race on planet earth.

While the Caucasian race has had its internal mental conflicts and battles with its racist demons agaist the black or african race, the Asians now are regressing into this vile mindset-as if they could afford to be racist agaisnt any human beings. Have they not learned the painful lessons of victimisation of racial bias in their wanderings on the earth?

As I mentioned above my brief stay in a Japanese community had been more pleasant than all my years in the country of my birth and even more pleasant than the Harlems of my American race. The fact came home to me then in 1957 that even the Japanese people were not aware of the atrocities that their sons did in Manchuria.
So my fellow human beings lets re-educate each other on this planet today, against the forces that will use any excuse to go on teaching murder and mayhem that racial hatred inspires.

Pretty rounded conversation going on here - interesting stuff.

But alas… back to Susan.

@Susan: My grandfather fought the Germans, his brother, my great uncle, was shot down and killed by the Germans. Despite this, I have not even the smallest ounce of hate towards the Germans for anything related to World War II or what its people may have done to mine.

Why wouldn’t I understand? You don’t need to change my mind - my mind is what people with your mind should strive for. Not as a statement of self-righteousness, but as a statement of healing. China will never heal if they keep picking the scab and infecting the wound.

@ryan
First of all, I don’t have any special opinion toward German, it is only a kind of hypothesis. What would you feel if Germany government and many German still monumentalize Nazi and Hitler as their god and hero today? And what would Jew feel?
Why couldn’t Japanese stop memorializing war crimes? I think it’s the sin of Japanese rather than Chinese. It’s not fair that you accuse Chinese just for we don’t like Japanese while they keep hurting Chinese.

Not hurting Chinese, Susan. Hurting feelings. By saying “hurting” without some level of perspective you are likening Japan’s lack of action towards the Yasukuni Shrine to the original war crimes themselves - surely you are able to see a difference.

In answer to your question - I would feel that the German gov’t is a bunch of dumbasses. Just as I think that the powers in Japan that approved the inclusion of these war criminals are a bunch of dumbasses. I also agree with the collection of Asian voices that feel the names should be removed from the shrine, or that an alternative shrine be built to honour Japan’s fallen soldiers (as the “spirits” of the war criminals is already intermingled with the rest - according to the Shinto tradition).

However, in any case, blaming a nation/race of people for the stupidity, arrogance and short-sightedness of a few makes you just as ignorant as those offenders.

As a Chinese who came to the US after college, I’d like to throw in my two cents.

First on the original topic of the post: I know of an African friend who worked in China for a few years. He seems to have a lot of positive things to say about his experiences in China. He especially mentioned the fact that he didn’t encounter any racism while in China. I’ve lived in different parts of US as a foreigner for quite a few years. I think no matter where you go, you will find people not as open to foreigners as you’d like. Try to understand where they came from and have an open heart. By focusing on positive things, you’re more likely to have positive experiences.

Now on the later digression to Japanese.

@Ryan: I completely agree with your comments here. I also admire your persistence in getting the message across. It might be difficult though. It takes many years of brainwashing, suppression of independent thinking and restricted access to information to create generations of people who dislike certain people because of their race or nationality.

@Susan: I’ve known many friends who used to think like you do. It took them a few years to look at this differently. Japanese aren’t that different from us. Most of them are just as kind as people around you. I’m sure you wouldn’t want people to dislike you or Chinese simply based on what Chinese government has done or what Guomindang did 50 years ago.

@Lilac - great comment.

王瑞安，你不是学中文吗？给你个学中文的机会。
无知？洗脑？
讲哲学讲道德谁不会？讲讲世界大同人人平等就表示某些人高尚啦？就可以占据道德至高点啦？还道呢。你以为无为就是什么都不干任人宰割啊？
中国有句古话：“仓廪实而知礼节！”某些人自己吃饱了，喝足了，看到居然有穷人在捡拾路边丢弃的菜叶，于是哀叹：“无知啊，不高尚啊,丢人啊！”
洗脑？我们不时刻提防某些人危害我们的安全，到受人侵略的时候谁来救我们？等你们这些虚伪的道德家？你要是有空更应该批评参拜靖国神社的日本人去！
我就是讨厌日本人参拜靖国神社，参拜甲级战犯，日本人的这种行为就是发动战争之心不死，严重威胁我们的安全。你觉得我讨厌日本人是无知的表现你就继续觉得去！我就是讨厌日本人！不过你居然能理解日本人参拜靖国神社的行为，还武士道呢！一丘之貉！
“高尚是高尚者的墓志铭.”但是我们不需要墓志铭，我们只想好好活着。再告诉你一句又名的歌词:”朋友来了有好酒，若是那豺狼来了，迎接他的有猎枪！”

另外，那个数典忘祖的啥啥，日本人讨厌不讨厌我我无所谓。儿不嫌母丑，狗不嫌家贫。你是不是觉得现在出息了特后悔为什么没把你投胎在日本啊？是不是觉得你现在特有素质，倍儿高尚啊？

It is ture that everybody is facing this kind of problems in a foreign country.But don’t warry.As a chinese who had been staying in the captial for more than 5 years,I am quite sure about the feelings chinese to blacks.For those who had been educated,you will barely find any of this feelings from them.Mostly,like those collegeboys,they like to talk and make friends with any foreigners,no matter they are black or white.Sometime,they just feel shy,which makes you feel they are ignororing you.So if you have this chance to come,just come,see it as kind of experience.Nothing can be too much bad.I have been in Southern sudan for almost one year,eating badly,sleeping bading and recently just been put into a dark room by the sodiers because of the job.But here I am,still alive.So even there is maybe something,but can’t be too bad.Just get used to this life.I am sure,if you come,you will get very good friends there.Most of them are kind.And now the chinese goverment won’t allow too many of those cases happened.Just keep you down,don’t do anything agaist the law or the feeling of the chinese,you will be much more welcomed.

Racism is found in every part of the world. China has just opened up to foreigners. Please give the Chinese people a chance to get used to foreigners.

Europe is still having a difficult time absorbing the millions of people from its former colonies. China does not have the racial self consciousness that Europe has. China did not colonize the four corners of the world like the Europeans did. The Europeans treated the natives of the lands they conquered as subhumans. This treatment haunts modern day Europeans and if the European speaks out or even criticizes a foreigner…they are called nazis.

There are many foreigners in China. If it is so bad there, why do you stay? There must be some good there as well. I visit Beijing often and I have experienced the same goofy “hellos” and being called “Lao wai”. The Chinese are just curious as to why we visit China while so many millions of their family, neighbors have left for the west. Just enjoy yourself in China. If you do not like it…leave.

Susan..World War two is over. The Japanese commited many atrocities and I am glad that they lost the war. The war is over, China was liberated. Do you still get angry that the great Mao Zedong sent Millions of people to their deaths or do you have his picture in your room? aybe you have a symbol of him in your Xiali car?

I will quote the great Rodney King ” Can’t we all just get along”.

I am an American born woman of color decended from Native American and African blood. I have done some research on my own ancestral history and to say the least, my people have had some troubles with racism.

Having said that, I am happy to say that my curiosity regarding people of different races, nationalities, religions, and the like trumps any misdirected feelings of resentment or hatred that I could have toward those that I could arguably accuse of hateful action against “people like me.” I believe that those people are sad and are missing out on a great deal that this world has to offer. Those who live with ignorance will have a difficult time as the world becomes smaller and globalization consumes us all.

Thanks for the

I believe in accepting people as individuals and not as members of stereotypical groups by association. I love to travel and hope to soon visit parts of Asia. I have unfortunately faced several racist people here in America and it has never been easy. On the other hand, I have also been able to rescue some from the prison of ignorance. Therefore, on my travels to foreign lands, I will face racism head on and perhaps enlighten some along the way.

Thanks for the post. Very interesting!

This is very interesting stuff particularly as an African American who has been to China on three occasions and in multiple situations received racist treatment. One of the benefits that I have is that of really thick skin. I can take it but I know for the most part the ignorance, the cultural insensitivity, the frequent purse switching and abrupt decisions to cross the street are signs of racial insensitivity, classism, ignorance and these all combine to make China very unwelcoming for the average black person.

However, that doesn’t stop me from dealing with Chinese proclivities and enjoying my experience here. I’ve met great people who I wouldn’t trade for the world and learned more about myself than at any point in my life. Additionally, and this is only for perspective, as a black man particularly a college educated black man who has traveled extensively, you become quickly aware of global perceptions and are just forced to adapt.

My uncle who is pushing 80 did work overseas decades ago and work in the US. He experienced not only racism of the sort described above but a blood lust as a result of his success. He had one of his good friends lynched for being successful in a part of the US where success for blacks was perhaps one of the greatest threats that could be levied against white identity. I’ve never had to experience what he has but my travels through life have toughened me and my willingness to learn about others and incorporate their ideas has given me a greater understanding of both the depths of human ignorance and the benevolence that can exist within one’s soul.

We all carry some baggage from the prior generations but trust me @susan that if you don’t get past that the opportunities of this world will never truly be open for you.

I love discussion and I’m interested for more feedback. @susan as for your last comment I don’t think these are really lofty ideals and I understand (quite literally because of my background) how much pain can be caused by generational acts of terrorism and violence and how much that can color perceptions but still we must move on or never move forward.

I lived in Southern Spain for a year and have been living in China for the past three. I speak both languages fluently, which can sometimes hurt more than help. You suddenly become aware of what’s really going on in the minds of people, what’s going on behind the stares and the pointing fingers and the laughs. So even if you are able to verbally respond or get some satisfaction from retaliating you have still been hurt.

Since living in China I can say the main issue I have is the Chinese reaction to my dark skin.
When some chinese comment on how dark my skin is their voices are filled with a kind of hate, not curiuosity. I know that the chinese have had their own issues with dark skin for centuries but it still hurts. When some chinese comment on my dark skin their voices are filled with a sense of cockiness that clearly implies because of this fact they are better than me. When some chinese comment on my skin they are filled with envy and surprise because they’d once believed that any one as dark as me could not be beautiful, I still find this a little offensive but less so than the other two.

I have had money thrown at me because they didn’t want to touch my hand, been followed around and made fun of by chinese from all walks of life including customs officers. I’ve been refused service in small shops, by taxi’s, in restaurants, and treated like a second-class citizen by certain chinese who have come to understand that blacks are often discriminated against. Chinese tend to copy the behavior of those around them, often without ever having any genuine feeling behind it. And they cab be quite skilled at understanding when they have an advantage and abusing it, which is almost never stemmed by personal hate, just personal gain. I also see that when they understand that a black person is also African they can be treated with even more contempt.

The Chinese are also very prideful and unwilling to admit fault, especially big faults for fear losing face to foreigners and will usually come together to agrue against an outsider, though I’ve been saved a few times by other chinese.

As a black woman with the most objective voice I can muster up at this point during my travels I have to say that travel to anywhere in the world is double the pain, and the heartache than most have to deal with. Though two things are not the only handicaps in China though, being fat, being ugly, a short-haired woman, or veering from the “normal” in any way is a means for ridicule in China. As a country it seems ridiculing people is not something considered childish that should be left in grade school but something that remains part of their daily lives; with the attrocities that happend to the chinese who were different or stood out during the communist revolution I guess I can understand why.

When it comes to social progress, most countries are far behind the west, not that my country (U.S.A) is in the lead but I believe it has come a lot further than China at this point in time. So far in fact that I had never really felt racism or sexism until I left. (My own ignorance might have also been shielding me.)

In observing and speaking to men of color I’ve found that there are certain boundaries that other men and women will not cross with them that they will cross with me. The one horrible disadvantage I’d say men of color have that women of color rarely face is physical violence. I have never been physically attacked. I have been verbally attacked countless times, I am stared at more, my anger is taken less seriously, my complaints are taken less seriously, my personal space is violated more and I find people more easily ignore me, often times while having my white-male partner be treated like a god.

On the flip side I find it’s the poorest of chinese people who tend to be more verbal and surpised but less ill-willed. By taking only a few minutes to talk them I find these people are willing to devote themselves to helping me in any way possible and are almost always genuine. I find that it is the Chinese middle class that tends to be the most scornful and I feel that they believe by acting in such a way it raises their social standing. They (Chinese middle-class) also understand that it’s more important to keep their feelings hidden until they find a safe outlet.

I say all this in hopes that I can give a clear and fair depiction of my Chinese experience. I have yet to come to the point where I regard Chinese people as “hermits” but I do look for forums like this for an occasional venting because I find there is no quick fix for dealing with the emotional tolls that such things can take on me.

Moreover, I refue to allow these bad experiences to run me out of an entire country, and I refuse to allow myself to become so bitter that I begin to hate and entire country.

I know that the opportunities I’ve had to live, study, learn, grow and work in countries are opportunities that many people only dream of, so I constantly remind myself how lucky I am. And with only this shield I go out into the world every day and I try to be the best person I can. On occasion when I’ve had a bad day, I fail myself and I allow the ignorance and misguided hate to provoke me, to anger, tears, and frustration. But sometimes I win and I’m able to enjoy the good things in my life without any regard for the things in the world that try and take that enjoyment away from me.

Hello Hei Mei,

I was very happy to have read your very extensive comment. The only thing that we the cultured and people loving persons of the world can really be assured of in dealing with the hateful kinds of ideologies of class isms and racism is to go beyond our real sense of justice and have mercy on those still smitten with the killer virus of hate that has permeated the whole world.

That is what keeps us going and makes us impermeable to the poisons and sickness people exude that makes them feel somewhat better in this life on earth. Keep checking yourself and do not return from your highly divine place to wallow in their wantonness.

Enjoy the good things of heavenly China and their divine people you have already met.

All blessings to you and to the divine natured people of China and the World.

Best regards,

Roberto

@Hei Mei: Every time I think this thread is closed someone comes along and breathes new life into it. Excellent to have your perspective and thoughts on the topic.

That you can face such negative things and still not hold a blanket grudge against the country and/or its people is something all of us should aspire to.

This is all very interesting to me. I am beginning to feel very disillusioned about my current perspective of China. I am also a Black female and will be moving to either Shanghai or Guangzhou very soon. I was recently recruited to teach English with EF. I honestly did not think of being outwardly discriminated against in China. I did realize that I my look interesting to some people who may have never interacted or seen a Black person, but I did not think hate would come from these stares. I recently studied in Xalapa, Mexico and got soo many stares, comments. I posed for pictures and was called “morena” daily. It didn’t bother me to expand peoples understanding of African American, but I do not know how well I can deal with out right racism. I’m not the quite type and don’t want to find my self in a bad situation. I would like some advice please. I have been planning this move since late March. I just completed my TEFL certification and just got my BA in education. I don’t want this to bring down my high. I am so open to other cultures. I want nothing more, but to remove my own misconceptions, by traveling a learning more about others.

Best,

Fallon

fallon,

I am aware of what you must be feeling although I am a white “skinned” Hispanic. I say “skinned” because in Latin America there is so much racial mixture that, I dare say, none of us can lay claim to any racial “purity” regardless of our outward appearance.

As for your experiences in Mexico, and even if you go ahead with an assignment in China, may I suggest something? Many folks in racist Mexico, where racism is very harshly felt by the thousands of native Black Mexicans (Mexico Negro) are very curious about your experience and your culture. You might weave in some “black like me” class role playing sessions just for some reality fun. Let us know how you do if you decide.

Best regards and don’t allow these experiences with world racism to out your beautiful light and enthusiasm.

My best regards