Living in China is a never ending source of surprises for the average expat. Even after the initial culture shock has worn off, it’s still likely that at least once a week you’ll be surprised by something that you had never seen or considered before. In this article we look at a few aspects of Chinese lifestyle and culture that tend to grow on an expat. Behold! These are things you love about China that you never thought you would like before you came here.
1) Slippers
Housekeeping methods are different all around the world, that is a given. In China, one of the main things that you first notice about etiquette as a guest is that you are expected to take your shoes off as soon as you enter someone’s home. Carpet is uncommon in most homes in China where, because of the warm summers, amongst other reasons, tiles or wood flooring are favored. The best way of keeping floors clean and hygienic is for people to wear slippers. Most households in China will keep a variety of slippers: warm ones, waterproof ones (for use in the bathroom), men’s and women’s etc., at a place close to the front door. Wearing slippers is something that I never thought I would like to do, but I’ve come to discover that its value is threefold. First, having slippers on is relaxing and quite comforting as it is synonymous with being at home. Second, wearing slippers that are only worn inside the house is great for cleanliness. Third, Chinese wear slippers because, according to traditional Chinese medicine, the soles of the feet should be protected against hard and cold surfaces, as parts of the feet correspond to the health of different organs in the body. This leads us onto the next aspect of Chinese lifestyle that I, as an expat, have learned to love but never thought I would.
2) Traditional Chinese Medicine
People in Western countries are often a little skeptical about Chinese medicine and its constituent disciplines such as acupuncture and herbal medicine. Some think that it is pure quackery, others think that it is antiquated and a novelty at best. However, many people that have lived in China for a while come to realize that TCM really does have its merits, whether it be treating a dry itchy cough through with a wonderful herbal cough mixture, keeping the symptoms of an allergy at bay or using tui na massage for relieving aches and pains. I remember being surprised by my first visit to a hospital in China in the way that TCM was used alongside western style medicine so seamlessly. In my own experience I have found that TCM remedies are more gentle and kinder to the body; for some ailments they are not as effective in treatment as more invasive styles of western medicine but often the TCM treatments work great in combination with the health care methods that I was previously familiar with.
