If you want to understand Chinese culture, I suggest visiting a massage parlor in China. The Chinese massage parlor is a place that, more than anywhere else, reminds me of the cultural difference between China and the U.
Each trip is a telling ethnographic exercise. This is pretty much the polar opposite of my experience in American massage parlors. The therapist-patient relationship is a strictly professional one.
I often need to sign a form certifying that my health condition is fit for a massage before I can start receiving services. The therapist takes care not to invade my privacy and hardly talks to me besides asking whether the pressure should be adjusted.
I often fall asleep during massages in the U. In sum, there is a clear-cut line between service industry professionals and customers, and breaching these boundaries can lead to anything from consumer complaints to a lawsuit. To me, the masseuse represents Chinese culture at its most authentic. The Chinese common people endorse a universalist view of other people: Everyone is a human. No one has special rights over the others. The server-customer relationship is much more fluid and informal.
If they are curious about some aspect of your life, they ask about itβwhether you are a relative or a stranger. If this is true, why do Chinese people ask questions that are intensely personal and would be considered privacy violations in the U. Chinese culture focuses on harmony and belonging, not individual rights of privacy. Sharing is an important part of getting along. The best way to get to know the real China is to talk to masseuses, Didi drivers, food delivery men.
