Booklet of Olympics Etiquette for Chinese

Beijing denizens have been sprucing up for the Olympics. The Chinese government is not that confident that their citizens will be best-behaved during the Games so the Ruling Communist Party has set up billboards and issued handbooks of instructions for the Chinese. Believe it or not, Chinese spectators were issued out instuctions on how to cheer for their countrymen at the Olympics. "Jiayou, Zhongguo, Jiayou." - means Let's Go China, Let's Go! I can just hear the chant! In the spirit of unity (or dictatorship?) a list of do's and dont's were also issued.

About 4 million booklets of etiquette were issued out to residents of the city. More than a half a million policemen were stationed in Beijing to ensure safety and security. Most foreign news correspondents are saying that China's greatest fear is no those related to terrorist attacks. China is more obsessed in making sure that they do not lose face in form during the 2-week Olympics. However, since there will be more than 75 heads of states and other dignitaries to attend the Opening Ceremony, China also provided a missile here and there "just in case".

If you have thick legs, wear black stockings or better yet, wear pants. Do not go out of your homes unshaven and not properly groomed/dressed. Girls, wear your hair appropriate for your age and please, no red polish. Do not ask a tourist anything regarding his work, salary, love life, dreams and hopes! If you must shake hands, do so but not more than 3 seconds and make sure your feet are apart in a V-position. If you are a taxi driver, lay low on the garlic so as not to smoother tourists with your garlicky breath. Girls, make sure than you use not more than three colors in your dress ensemble and make sure the colors are coordinated.

Men are not allowed to roll up their trousers. No chest hair displayed in public please- although there's no specific instructions on this vogue: rolling up one’s vest so that it rests just below the nipples and exposes the belly to the summer breezes. The booklet on etiquette stretch to thirty-six areas of behavior and run to nine pages on an official website. Some advice like no spitting and forming queue ( a two-year old campaign) is great, however some of the advice may be such a cultural contradiction as to be impossible to implement. Don’t press others to drink at a banquet, and don’t fight over paying the bill. These are Chinese culture to the core.

The campaign has about a million volunteers to give etiquette tips at schools,universities, government offices and in villages. I'm not sure if there is an etiquette on how much teeth is allowed to show when one smiles.

Photo Courtesy