Racism in China

As a brief disclaimer: I do not agree with racism; I am documenting my experiences in China because I think they are important to understanding the country as a whole. Those who are close to me know that I tend to gravitate to deeper topics. While I like to stay light-hearted most of the time, I think talking about more serious issues up-front are essential to having a good conversation, and an important step in cultural immersion. So, without further ado, lets get deep. So deep Adele couldn’t role in it.

I am a hesitant to readily use the term “racism” to describe the stereotypes I have experienced in China. When I picture racism, I imagine that it is used with a deliberate malignancy to undermine a certain group, or to make your own appear superior (discrimination, hate crimes, etc.). It is difficult to determine if the Chinese use these preconceptions to downgrade certain races, or if they simply aren’t aware that their stereotypes can be harmful. While in the U.S one can encounter any race, China is a largely homogeneous population, at least in terms of outer appearance (there are actually numerous smaller groups within China, each with a unique history and culture, but they still look Chinese for the most part). Thus, I believe that racism in China stems from a lack of exposure to other groups of people. To start, here are a few of my direct experiences:

• “Your nose…I see… wrong” <-Said to me by a bboy in broken English
• “Did you get plastic surgery for your nose? I want one just like it” <-conversation with my barber. While the mold of my nose is rather uncommon in China, is it really that bad?
• “Do American’s have an obsession with sex? Are American girls more ‘open’? Why does it seem that American presidents are so indecisive?”<-additional comments from my barber, that, like many stereotypes, have a sad hint of truth in them.
• During a phone interview for a English tutoring job (this was when I revealed I was an ABC, after being told my application was excellent): “Sorry, we are looking for someone a little more authentic. Blond hair and blue eyes.” Cool. In the States, this would almost sound like a Nazi agenda, but here it’s not uncommon to associate English speaking ability with white skin.
• Probably my all time favorite (so far): “Are you Indian?” While I did dabble in Bollywood and Bhangra in college, there’s still something a little off about that question.

The comments definitely don’t stop at me. An obvious stereotypes in China would be towards those of African or African-American heritage. During my first weeks in China, I was drawn to a lady on a motorbike who was following a African-American couple (from St. Louis!). Curious as to what they were talking about, I quickly became horrified as I realized the “conversation” was very one-sided. “Can you say ‘YOYOYO’? Say ‘YOYO’? Just once, ‘YOYOYO’!” I shooed her off, much to her chagrin and to the relief of the couple. Now, I have grown accustomed to this discrimination, although it still makes me cringe. Black people are very rarely encountered in China, and subsequently Chinese knowledge of blacks comes from media portrayal (at least what isn’t censored): pretty much Obama, hip hop and Kobe Bryant.

Another more interesting stereotype, that is perhaps more deeply rooted in history, is the perception of Mongolians. Mongolians have been described as “rude” or “lazy” in the words of the Chinese. However, this animosity is reciprocated in Mongolia. During my visa run there, a friend warned me not to reveal my Chinese heritage, lest I be spat on. Continued conversation revealed that these sentiments may have been due to the takeover of China by the Mongols under Genghis Khan. Indeed, in the Mongolian National Museum, exhibits were sure to emphasize the widespread domination of Genghis Khan, in addition to the torture and persecutions of the Mongolians in China afterwards.

I will talk about the more serious and obvious case of racism against the Japanese in my next post. For now, hopefully I’ve painted a decent picture of the kind of stereotypes that one might encounter in China. These have left me with a few questions that I still ponder: How can one dispel these stereotypes in a population with limited access and exposure?  Is racism in China inherently different from racism in the States? Subsequently, should it be tolerated more than in the States? Perhaps my harder stance against racism can be attributed to my upbringing in the West. Questions that may be answered as China continues to modernize and be seen on the international radar.