Yes, public spitting in China is generally considered rude and unhygienic by modern standards, especially in cities, despite historically being a common practice rooted in health beliefs and seen as cleansing. While older generations or people in rural areas might still do it, anti-spitting campaigns and modernization have made it less acceptable, with younger people often avoiding it, though it's still encountered and seen as a poor habit by many.
After SARS and COVID-19, health authorities launched campaigns to discourage public spitting. In places like Beijing and Shanghai, you're more likely to see signs asking people to refrain, and younger generations tend to follow these social cues.
This tradition of spitting (really, they call it a tradition), comes out of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The idea being that phlegm is a manifestation of the illness inside you, so it must come out.
The "Three Ts" in China refer to the highly sensitive topics of Taiwan, Tibet, and Tiananmen Square, which are major taboos and subjects of strict censorship, with discussions often discouraged or forbidden due to their challenge to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) narrative and authority. Foreigners are often advised to avoid these topics to prevent discomfort, legal issues, or awkwardness with Chinese citizens.
Giving the middle finger is one of the most offensive hand gestures in China. Sucking in air loudly through your teeth. Making a loud sucking sound through one's teeth is considered impolite in China and is often interpreted as a sign of annoyance or disapproval.
China's "3-hour rule" for minors restricts children under 18 to playing online video games for only three hours per week, specifically from 8 PM to 9 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, to combat gaming addiction and improve health. Implemented by the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) in 2021, the rule mandates gaming companies use real-name verification and facial recognition to enforce limits, though some children bypass it using adult accounts.
The sight of dozens of shoppers passionately kissing each other in a mall would be surprising in any country, but especially so in China where public affection is frowned upon… The competition is to let people in love express themselves and enjoy the moment.
China's "0.1% rule" refers to its 2025 export controls that require licenses for products containing 0.1% or more (by value) of certain Chinese-origin rare earth elements or technologies, extending China's regulatory reach globally to materials like magnets, semiconductors, and defense components, even if manufactured outside China. This extraterritorial control, similar to the U.S. Foreign Direct Product Rule, aims to leverage China's dominance in rare earth supply chains for strategic influence, impacting high-tech industries by requiring approval for exports and potentially disrupting global supply chains.
Although wearing revealing clothing isn't illegal in China, a lot of guys will leer at you. And that just makes for an unpleasant trip. So, I suggest you avoid wearing low-cut shirts that show your cleavage or shorts so short they ride up you.
The 4-2-1 family structure refers to families in which three generations coexist in a variety of family forms. The structure emphasizes a social living community, including four older people (paternal and maternal grandparents), two parents, and one child, based on relationships of marriage, kinship, and adoption.
Singapore: Spitting is prohibited in coffee shops and markets, public roads, sideways and any other place that's open to the public. Any violation of the law attracts a fine of up to SGD 1,000.
Spitting upon another person, especially onto the face, is a global sign of anger, hatred, disrespect or contempt. It can represent a "symbolical regurgitation" or an act of intentional contamination.
In China and South Korea, you should bring your own toilet paper.
'Truly disgusting'
"While in China, many people view spitting as a cleansing action for the body. "It should also be acknowledged that many Asian cultures see the Western act of blowing or sneezing in public into a handkerchief and then putting that into a pocket as truly disgusting and much worse than spitting.
Though China is open to foreign visitors, be aware of political and cultural sensitivities. Avoid any demonstrations or large gatherings. The Chinese authorities enforce public order strictly, and you may face arrest, detention and deportation.
The 3-3-3 clothing rule is a simple styling method for creating many outfits from few items: choose 3 tops, 3 bottoms, and 3 shoes, which allows for 27 potential combinations (3x3x3) and reduces decision fatigue, often used for travel or building a minimalist capsule wardrobe. It's a versatile concept, sometimes expanded to include 3 layers (like jackets or cardigans) for even more looks, making dressing easier by focusing on mix-and-match versatility with core pieces.
Red symbolizes good fortune, positivity and vitality and is the luckiest color for Chinese New Year celebrations. Red is associated with positive, life-generating energy through fire, blood and the sun. Red is also a powerful color that wards off evil spirits and brings optimizm for the year ahead!
The dudou (literally 'belly cover') is a type of old-fashioned Chinese bra first worn in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and then in the Qing Dynasty. Unlike bras today, the dudou was worn to flatten the breasts as flat-chested women were thought to be graceful while busty women were considered a temptation.
Google has a difficult history in China. The company pulled its search engine out of China in 2010 because of government censorship and what the company said was a cyberattack from Chinese hackers trying to gain access to human rights activists' email accounts.
“996” working hour system referred to as “996”, is a work schedule which encourages or forces employees to extend their working hours or even work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. This is a common phenomenon among Chinese tech companies and startups.
In China, the situation is even more pressing. Its one-child policy left it with over 30 million more men than women. These men confront a smaller dating pool, and it's even harder for working-class and rural men to find a partner.
No. China carries out the monogamous marriage system. The act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another are called bigamy in China, which is invalid and also constitutes a crime. Criminal Law of China: Article 258.
Thus, the eyes are critical for recognizing facial expressions in Western cultures. In contrast, in Eastern, affected by the etiquette culture (one aspect of Confucianism), direct eye contact is considered rude and should be avoided while communicating (Argyle and Cook, 1976).
In China, the pinky finger isn't the same thing as the middle finger. Contrary to popular belief, holding up a pinky finger in China isn't equivalent to flipping someone off in Western culture. The pinky finger isn't considered offensive in Chinese culture but can have a negative connotation.