![]() Unfortunately, the only way to get what you want is to engage in 'Chinese queueing' yourself.Ĭhinese people are queue opportunists: if they see a gap, they'll try to move into it. ![]() Expect 'creative' queuing, plenty of jostling, and frequent attempts to cut in line. Although the westernisation of Shanghai means that more places are more likely to enforce queuing, many places are a little more of a free-for-all. When it comes to queueing, China really has little to no etiquette regarding the matter. Given the fact that it is the most populated country in the world and there are over 23 million people living in Shanghai alone, you might imagine that Chinese culture would have developed an intricate system of crowd etiquette by now, in order to better accommodate the demands of its constantly burgeoning population. Generally speaking (though not always), their behaviour is not malicious and if you point out that they're being inconsiderate to others, they will generally be apologetic.Ĭhinese people do not value politeness in general as much as western society, so do not expect to be thanked for holding the door open for someone, or for allowing somebody to board a bus or subway car before you.Ī tongue-in-cheek but extremely accurate representation of the difference between western and Chinese attitudes towards queueing For example, it's very common for Chinese people to stop moving as soon as they exit a subway train or get off an escalator: it simply doesn't occur to them that they will be inconveniencing others by not deciding where they're going without stopping.Ĭhinese people will often have loud conversations or talk on their mobile phones in places that are inconsiderate to those around them, such as at the cinema. Generally speaking, they're not doing it on purpose in order to spite you because you're a foreigner - they are simply not accustomed to being considerate beyond the basics. This is not really a racial stereotype as much as it is a cultural difference when compared with societies that focus on the individual rather than the group. Chinese manners and etiquette in many situations vary greatly from their western counterparts - not only in general behaviour but also in established social situations like queueing or giving gifts.Ĭhinese people often do not think about the people around them.
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