Many countries have their own weird ways of doing things, but the continent of Asia and the many countries on it, have a multitude of weird habits. Of course they don’t consider the way they do things as being strange, but most Western visitors do, especially those who have never been to Asia before. These 10 weird habits from Asia occur in various countries including China, the largest of all Asian countries.
#10 Spitting in Public
Number one rule of Royalty, ladies – no spitting! by Simon Parry Photo: Ryan Pyle/Corbis
In China you will commonly see people spitting in public. In fact it is so common that there are public signs warning people not to spit in public. And it isn’t only poor people who spit; it’s just that people don’t seem to know any better. Not that long ago, the authorities in Shanghai launched a campaign known as the Seven Nos. These were no littering, no vandalism, no jaywalking, no smoking in public places, no damaging of greenery, no swearing, and of course no spitting. Reports stated it didn’t work.
#9 Substitute Criminals
10 Bizarre aspects of Chinese Culture by Mike Devlin listverse.com
Known in China as “ding zui,” a substitute criminal is someone who is prepared to stand trial and even go to prison for payment. Often these people are so-called body doubles, although there have been public accusations that sometimes substitute criminals don’t even resemble the person accused of wrongdoing. A recent headline case involved 20-year-old Hu Bin, a rich young man who allegedly killed another man while drag racing in 2009. Someone who looked quite different to Hu Bin stood trial, was found guilty, and sat for three years.
#8 Lack of Social Greetings
7 of the Most Bizarre Asian Cultural Habits by Nellie Huang www.bootsnall.com
In Western countries people hug, kiss, pat each other on the back, and often come up with phrases like “howzit pal” or “hello my China.” But in most of Asia, a nod is usually enough to express all these ideas of caring and friendship. What this really means is that when Asians appear to ignore you, it’s just a cultural thing; it doesn’t mean they don’t like you or don’t care about you. Usually a simple wave or nod is more than enough to express interest and caring.
#7 Slurping Soup
Number one rule of Royalty, ladies – no spitting! by Simon Parry Photo: Sinopix www.dailymail.co.uk
In China it is perfectly acceptable to slurp your soup. It’s so bad that a Chinese woman, Sara Jane Ho, who was educated in the UK, has started an etiquette school to teach her countrymen and women proper table manners. It is also common in Japan, even though the Japanese are generally very courteous and well-mannered people. In fact in Japan if you don’t slurp noodle soup, your hosts will think you aren’t enjoying it. The louder you slurp the better.
#6 One Time Zone
WorldTimeZone.com
In the first half of the 20th century China, which measures more than 3,000 miles or nearly 5,000 km across, had five time zones. When the Communist Party gained power this changed, and now the country has one single time zone that is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). At the time, the reason for this was political, to install a feeling of unity amongst all Chinese people. The result though, is that many people now simply operate in terms of daylight, getting up when the sun rises and going to bed when the sun sets.
#5 Removing Shoes Indoors
Etiquette in Japan, Wikipedia Photo: Richard W. M. Jones
Considered a weird Asian habit by many Westerners, the practice of removing ones shoes before you go inside a person’s house is very common. Whether you’re in southern India, China or Japan, you’ll find that Asians generally like to walk barefoot at home, to keep their floors clean and as a form courtesy. It is also considered more comfortable to be without shoes and socks. As an outsider it is considered a sign of disrespect not to remove your shoes before going inside a home, temple or any other public building, including restaurants.
#4 Long Nail on Pinkie Finger
7 of the Most Bizarre Asian Cultural Habits by Nellie Huang www.bootsnall.com
In many parts of Asia including Taiwan, Indonesia, India and China, there is an ancient tradition that considers long fingernails to be a sign of wealth and great beauty. But it isn’t usually practical to have all nails really long, so many people simply grow the nails on their small “pinkie” fingers. Many use them as built-in tools, for picking and scratching their nose, ears, teeth, and other places that get dirty of itchy. It may not be hygienic, but it is popular.
#3 Facekini Masks For Swimming
10 Bizarre aspects of Chinese Culture by Mike Devlin listverse.com
In China women often wear facekinis when they swim. Unlike normal swimming caps that simply keep the hair dry, these protective masks cover the entire head and neck, except for eyes, nostrils and mouth. They come in a variety of bright colors, and sometimes with patterns on them. Generally they are intended to protect women’s delicate faces from the sun, but they are also considered to be an effective means of protection from dreaded “sea creatures.” Traditionally Chinese women would stay indoors; if they went outside in the sun they would carry an umbrella to protect themselves from the sun.
#2 Ghost Marriages
Men jailed in China for “ghost marriage” corpse bride trafficking by Ellen Connolly. Photo: Peter Parks AFP/Getty Images
This weird habit from Asia involves marrying a dead person. Often a young woman will be forced to marry a dead man and then she is forced to live with his family until she dies and joins him in “the afterlife.” Other times both the man and woman are dead when they are married. The rationalization is that by having a wedding after death, the couple can be buried together and they will then be together in the afterlife. However this morbid tradition has led to a roaring trade in dead bodies, especially of young women who have just died or have recently been buried.
#1 Boy Eggs Boiled in Virgin Urine
Virgin Boy Eggs Soaked In Children’s Urine Still Local Chinese Delicacy by Melanie Jones, International Business Times. Photo: Reuters/Aly Song
Eggs soaked in the urine of young boys under the age of 10, and then cracked and boiled, are considered a healthy delicacy in the Zhejiang province of China. They look much like any other hard boiled eggs and you’ll commonly find them being sold by street vendors. Those who eat them say that the taste of “boy eggs” is salty and “fresh.” But it isn’t just the taste that appeals; boy eggs are said to have numerous health benefits from increasing energy to relieving and preventing joint pain.
