It’s been a couple months since our first Group Writing Project, and as it was quite successful, we feel it’s time for round two. The topic this time is “China: Love It ~ Hate It“.

We’re big fans of the dao and the wacky balance therein here at Lost Laowai, and as such wanted to offer a chance for the China blogsphere to delve into the things they both love and hate most about this country.

There’s no limit on the number of things you can list, or the depth to which you explore them – however, we do ask that for every yang you have a yin (and who doesn’t like a good bit of yin?).

gwp-lihi.pngWhat we mean to say is if you’ve sat down and come up with 100 things you dislike about China, we’d like you to challenge yourself to find 100 things you love as well.

For anyone not familiar with what Group Writing Projects are all about, perhaps an explanation is in order. Basically, GWPs are a good way for blogs of a semi-related niche to come together and create a focused amount of content on a particular topic, while also increasing exposure for all blogs that take part.

It’s a chance for lesser known blogs to get some exposure, and also for all involved to discover new and interesting blogs to read.

To participate, here is the process to follow:

1. Write a “China: Love It ~ Hate It” post

  • Check to see if other submissions have been posted for concepts or ideas.
  • Feel free to add, subtract or modify this idea – be as creative as you can. As long as it sticks to the theme, it’s fine.
  • You can write it in any form you like (songs, poems, rants, humorous posts, as told by fecal art, anything you want). We only ask that you stick with the concept of balance between love and hate.
  • Come up with a snazy title for the post that might attract some interest from other readers. You are not required at all to use the “China: Love it ~ Hate it” title, but are welcome to if you wish.

2. Let us know when it’s done.

  • Once you’ve posted your story, simply fire us off an e-mail (Contact in the top menu bar) with the following information:
    Title of Post, Post’s Link, Your name (or online alias)
  • The deadline for this group writing project is Monday, October 1st.
  • You don’t have to link back to this post – but it might be a good way to get others involved and help this project grow. And we’d sure appreciate it :-).
  • Additionally, you are more than welcome to use the GWP graphic above in your post. Simply download it, or just link to it from here.

3. What happens next?

  • I’ll be doing a “daily” post of submissions on here. Additionally, I will also be adding your post to a central “China: Love it ~ Hate it” submission list to make it easy for everyone to view all the posts related to this group writing project.
  • The final list will be posted next Tuesday, October 2nd.

4. Don’t be shy – get around.

  • This is where you take over. Be sure to check out the other submissions and see what people love and hate about China. Leave comments and make connections with other Sinosphere bloggers.
  • There is no formal ‘judging’ as this is not a competition. Instead, I suggest perhaps you can surf through the submissions at the end of the week and list the one(s) on your blog you feel were the best and share the linky linky love.

If you’ve any questions, please contact us or simply leave a comment here. I look forward to reading what you come up with.

Discussion

29
  1. On it, but a little disappointed that no one responded to a similar group writing project: Why do you love China? – maybe next time group writing projects should all be published here. It’s good to have balance, though, and will be more interesting to see responses to this GWP.

    At least I’ve got the first part done… now to think of five things I don’t like about China…

    • I am not smart with internet stuff and I am a bit misplaced but I wanted to share one of things I hate about china. I’ve been here since 2004 and I am noticing more racism or separation tactics to keep foreigners away. They seem to make a huge deal of us and foreign blunders but hide theres like there is no tomorrow! we should be respectful, but even when someone wrongs us here, its not how to deal with them, its what we should have done differently. you almost can’t live here with out feeling like a criminal most of the time. You can’t sustain long term happiness in china, once the miracle of how different it is wears off and the real society and culture starts knocking full on at your door step you realize that they don’t seem to want us here. they want our technology but not us! we’re not equal and its been an eye opener as I can understand minorities far better in the US now! hope you enjoy this!

      • I agree with you 100% I have been here for 10 years the last few years just to support my filipino wife who has cancer. I really dont think they want us here and there is a constant double standard that exists, its ok for them, but not a foreigner. Its really sad, and very annoying, and with the string of recent foreigners f’ing up, its gotten worse. I’ve grown to hate being here and although I do give everyone a chance, the second and third chances have disappeared all together, they get one. whats worse is I dont think they realize that every person here, every situation that happens here is a reflection of them as a culture and a country, and when a foreigner is unhappy they go back and spread that around to family and friends.

  2. Pingback: Love & Hate of Chinese Supermarkets | A China Blog on Suzhou Expat Life | The Humanaught

  3. October 1?? But, my mom is sick, my friend needs me to go to the hospital with her, I am expecting a very important call and I have important family business that day which is probably a national holiday somewhere. Can I turn it in late on a piece of toilet paper and you re-type it?? I am terribly sorry. I feel I am about to cry now.

    BTW: I think you are cute: Do you have MSN Messenger?

  4. @Lonnie: Your assignment has been changed to “Why NOT to spend so much time hanging out with 18-year-old students”. And MSN Messenger? C’mon – I’m QQqute. 😉

  5. Pingback: China Blogging - Living in China, studying Chinese, web design and development. » China Evaluated: Black + White = Fuckin’ Grey

  6. Pingback: [GWP Update] China: Love It ~ Hate It | Lost Laowai China Blog

  7. Pingback: The China Expat » 5 Things I Hate About China

  8. Pingback: Love/Hate « On the Fringe

  9. my grandparents would be rolling over in their graves if thay were alive.the chinese killed americans in korea and their lives ment nothing to the people in power in america today,i will never support any comunist power who uses slavery and unfair practices to get rich.shame on any american who supports this kind of thing.

  10. The previous post cited Chinese killing Americans in Korea, what about Vietnamese killing Americans or Japanese. Are we to continue to hate the people of other countries due to the failed policies of their past governments? Americans had better get used to “China”, they already own more of our debt instruments than any country, except for Japan possibly. The USA had their century, this will be China’s and possibly beyond.

  11. I wish I could say I love China, however, I can’t. I’m sure everyone has a list of reasons why not to like China, for me it has been the resent visa’s pulled from some of our amazing Olympians. China is a communist, horrible country and someone needs to stop them! While that person’s at it, make sure to take care of Iraq, Iran, Russia, Korea, and any other country that want to do harm to their people or anyone else! Thank you!!

  12. While I can find a few things to like about
    China(It’s long,rich History,Orange Beef/Chicken
    with rice and,of course,some of the Women,for
    the most part,I really hate it.Along with being
    a communist nation,they’re also one of the
    Worst oppressors of the Common people.Plus,I
    heard that families can only have 1 Daughter.
    Any more Daughters must be murdered by the
    “offending” parents.Then,of course is their
    persacutions of people wanting to practice
    Christianity in China.Many caught are executed
    ultimately after being tortured.And how can we
    forget about the oppressing of Tibet?
    And now,early in the Olympics,an American
    couple were violently attacked by a crazed
    Chinese guy.The man died on the spot and his
    wife went through 8 hours of surgery to save
    her Life.I believe they were parents of an
    Olympian.This country may quote Confucius,but
    they don’t live by his Good philosophies.

  13. @Kevin: I’d like to be the first to say that you’re an idiot. Scratch that, I can’t possibly be the first to say it.

    I’m going to assume you’re just an ignorant troll, and leave it at that.

  14. And I’m going to presume you’re a Communist!
    There other things I didn’t mention.Like,for
    example,the practice of Harvesting human organs
    from executed and still living people.Even people
    executed for their organs,who did no crimes.And
    let’s not forget they also kill & eat their pet
    cats & dogs.Perhaps because the Communist government in China leaves them destitute &
    desperate or because these animals are considered
    a delicacy there.
    To top it all off,when 9/11 happened almost
    7 years ago,the Chinese applauded and cheered!
    And yet,you still want to call me names on their behalf.That is something a Real Troll would do!

  15. Oh,my god !I cannot see what you said.China is not as you said.I am a Japanese.I have gone China for 5 years.I think China is the best country in the world.

  16. I live in Shen Yang in Liao Ning Province.Indeed,in China nowaday,there is really not a little people hate the Communist government because of Government corruption.May be they are right.I think One-party dictatorship is not good,there is no competition,there is no progress. I just finished my high school and am going to Australia to study.In china, students no matter how old you are,if you can speak,you have to study.I hate that! Students just remember some facts just for exam! the education just destroy our curiosity and creativity. my dream is to be a good doctor, but i failed exam,so i have no chance to be forever
    Thank you for such a good assessment of China Sherry.

  17. Kevin, you’re taking the piss right?

    I echo Ryan’s comments: You’re an idiot and you don’t know what you’re talking about. Go and learn some facts first, then maybe visit China and I *might* listen to your random drivel.

    On topic:

    I was just thinking today one thing I like about China: The hot babes! 😉

    Dislike: The spitting and the crowds.

  18. @Stephen: Surely you’re joking. It’s not that what he’s saying doesn’t have elements of truth to it — anyone that had even a passing level of interest in China knows it — but it’s the way he presents it, as if these were the only things that defined what China was. It’s a shallow, unidimensional, and ultimately hypocritical vision of what China is.

    I’m not saying we need to only look at the good, and I’ll be the first to advocate exposing the festering wounds that this country is covered in. But colouring an entire country as a bunch of crazed homicidal maniacs, murdering babies and Christians for their organs and then celebrating the day by sticking the family pet in a pot… really? This is China?

  19. Well I don’t know him nor his intention but when I read his first comment I read it as being more inquisitive rather than accusatory. Either way it holds more than a semblance of accuracy and I was just surprised at the abusive responses.

  20. You know what I hate about China? All the stupid fucking expats and their stupid fucking blogs about China. Jesus titty fucking Christ! How many more blogs do we need to about “a foreigner’s experience in China”? They never say anything insightful–they just repeat the same tired observations over and over again.

  21. As a Canadian, where we welcome and encourage foreign students and cultures, I must admit that nothing that has been said about China is different from what we have been saying FOR YEARS about the United States. US students bought their way into elite Canadian schools all through the 50’s and 60’s.

  22. I enjoy all the postings here, whether good or bad about China. I am a Chinese who have lived in the US for the past 40 years. I have seen how people who used to look at me as an oddity in the 70’s (and often called me names) to almost complete acceptance now. I think the younger US generation’s attitude toward race has improved tremendously (most likely due to the civil rights movement). What I would like to add is that I think most minority foreigners have pretty much the same negative and positive experience about their host countries. The United States has been a country with the most experience with immigrant and non-immigrant foreigners, and that experience has translated to a much friendlier acceptance today of foreigners (but not completely, racism is still well and alive in some states). I gathered the same sentiment expressed about China from postings here. So please keep them coming, it is a good way to stay informed from expats in China who have valuable opinions to share. Thanks for keeping this forum up and running!

  23. 20 Western Terms With
    Equivalent Chinese Meanings
    (from an American living in China for almost a decade)

    ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
    To preempt protest, I dislike the Chinese government and the PRC Constitution but I love the Chinese people. Yes, some can be rude and ill mannered, and I don’t mind speaking my mind to those few, because I’ve got flaws, too…but most, I believe, are perhaps the friendliest and most thoughtful people on earth. As a matter of fact, I love them so much, I married one and she is an absolute dream! She also laughed at most of these.
    ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

    1. Decoration only:
    Street signs, traffic lights & crosswalks

    ///

    2. Speed bump:
    Pedestrian

    ///

    3. Hazmat Suit:
    Recommended attire

    ///

    4. Claim to fame:
    World’s largest environmental disaster

    ///

    5. Every movie tag line:
    “Aye Yaaaah!!!”

    ///

    6. Screaming match:
    A normal conversation

    ///

    7. SlipNSlide:
    The sensation one gets walking down sidewalks

    ///

    8. Fish in a barrel:
    A baby being held over a trash can to do its business

    ///

    9. Store Greeter:
    Someone just outside the entrance
    urinating

    ///

    10. Fire in the hole!:
    Toilet level with the floor

    ///

    11. Aircut:
    A new activity necessary to walk forward in Beijing

    ///

    12. UFO:
    An acronym describing the odor of public restrooms. (Urine, Feces & Others)

    “Do ya smell that UFO, man?”

    ///

    13. Chinese film:
    Slimy residue that forms overnight on freshly washed dishes

    ///

    14. Apartment living:
    Indoor Camping

    ///

    15. Frappé:
    Leftovers

    ///

    16. Patty-Cake:
    How Chinese men fight

    ///

    17. Happiness go beautiful yes.:
    A complete sentence

    ///

    18. Orderly:
    Doctor

    ///

    19. 3 days:
    Christmas Season
    (Day 1: Put up tree
    Day 2: Look at tree
    Day 3: Take down tree)

    ///

    20. Challah Bread:
    President Xi Jinping’s doppelganger

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