Racism in China

I just wanted to write about something that has been on my mind for a long time, ever since I got back from China. Racism in China is something that has been discussed many times all over the internet but I thought I'd share my experiences. Many Chinese people would probably deny that there is racism in their country but their is racism everywhere. Even in a homogeneous society like some European countries. After all, who needs those filthy Irishmen or smelly Italians? But because most people in China are ethnic Chinese they don't get to see people from other races very often. White people occasionally, black people almost never. And this lack of exposure to other ethnicities (I use the term ethnicities because race has no scientific base. The more you know!) has created misinformation and just straight up ignorance. Check this picture out.


Yeah. I can kinda see how this would piss off a billion people.

In case you're totally clueless, it depicted black people as chimpanzees which is INCREDIBLY racist. Chinese people hate Japanese people for obvious reasons but why do they get to be giant robats while black people are apes? It's not fair. EXAMPLE TIME. Jen and I were sitting at a bus stop in Guangzhou with her parents. This old Chinese couple comes and sits down as well. They stare at us for a while. I make eye contact and do my best to look as non-threatening and un-creepy as possible. Suddenly the old woman starts talking and I automatically know she is talking about me. Much to my surprise my girlfriend and her parents start laughing and agree with her. I was befuddled! I love that word but rarely have a chance to use it. Later on the bus I asked Jen what the lady said. She pretty much said that "Mixed white and Chinese babies are beautiful but black babies are not. They are ugly."
...
...
...
...
...
...
WOW. I come from a small, kind of redneckish town in South Carolina and I've never heard anything like that before. After the initial shock I just chocked that attitude up to lack of exposure. I'm sure most black people in the world are alright people but most of what the average Chinese person sees is the black junkie or criminal in movies. What a shame. But it's not always easy for white people either! Especially if you're in a relationship with a local girl.It should go without saying that you'll get stared at and maybe the occasional rude comment. I only heard one of those but it was enough to piss me off. Apparently some jealous Chinese guy called her a traitor. If this was America I would have stomped him out in the street but because I was an "ambassador" for my country I had to be the better man and brush it off. Foreigners in China already have to work hard to overcome the stereotypes associated with them so getting into a fist fight with a big mouthed idiot wouldn't really help our image. But generally speaking, that kind of overt rudeness is very rare. I just got distracted and forgot where I was going with this but I think you get the picture. Happy New Year! =D