Thanks for the questions, John Paul Academy. Truth be told, these were some of the most challenging enquiries I’ve had to answer so far.
The reason is that while I am ethnic Chinese, I grew up in Canada and Hong Kong, so many of your enquiries on everyday life in mainland China don’t really apply to me at all. In many aspects, I’m looking in from the outside, much like yourselves.
But fear not, my inquisitive friends. In an effort to give a clearer picture of life in China’s mainland, I’ve interviewed some of my work colleagues here at the office and posted their answers in lieu of my own. Hopefully, this will give you a better idea of what everyday life is like over here.
How many people are in your family?
“There are three people in my family: My father, mother and I.”
In urban areas like Shanghai, you’ll find that most people born in the ‘80’s are single children. This is, of course, a result of China’s notorious “one-child policy,” which was enacted in 1978 to try to alleviate problems caused by China’s burgeoning population.
Contrary to popular belief, the one-child policy, 计划生育政策 (jì huà shēng yù zhèng cè, or “family planning policy”) does not apply to every single Chinese citizen. From the onset, the one-child policy was only meant to apply to a single generation, and even then, there are many exceptions to the rule. It’s estimated that only about 36% of Chinese citizens are affected by the policy. And even then, enforcement of the policy varies from region to region.
Remember how we talked about how Chinese children are pushed very hard to excel academically in an earlier blog post? Given that many urban nuclear families only have a single child, a natural social phenomenon is that parents not only push their children to excel in school, but also spoil their children to an extreme. It’s not uncommon, for example, that parents pay the down payment on a mortgage for a new home when their son or daughter marries.
What is family life like on a daily basis?
“The whole family gets up in the morning, have breakfast together, and parents will send their kid to school and then go to work. Parents will pick up their kid after work, and after any extra curricular lessons, will have dinner together at home.
“This is pretty much the same with me, except that I work now and I don’t have to go to school anymore. I still live at home, and sometimes I don’t go home for dinner. Most urbanites are wage earners, and will work from Monday to Friday, 9am until 5 pm, and spend more time with their family on the weekends.”
I think life differs according to what region your family is from. If you live in a big city like Shanghai, or Beijing, urban family life is quite the same as those of any other developed country.
On the other hand, people in rural areas enjoy a more laid back lifestyle. There is a famous saying that the farmer works before the sunrise and gets back home after sunset. Although the work is no doubt more physical, the rhythm and pace of life is more relaxed than the hectic lifestyle of the city.
What does your family do for entertainment?
“Well, each generation has their own unique way of entertaining themselves.
“Senior citizens that have retired enjoy the ease and comfort of life that exists without work, a boss, or alarm clocks ringing in the morning. They get to do whatever they like and many of the older generations enjoy their retirement by doing some form of group activity with the peers, like morning exercise groups, or even dancing classes.
“Young people are used to hanging out with their friends, and enjoy singing karaoke, shopping, hitting the bars etc…”
I also note that the young people of today spend an inordinate amount of time online. Many would rather stay home and surf the Internet rather than go out and do some social activity. I suppose it is a sign that I myself am getting old, since when I was young, older people had the same criticism about my generation!
What does your family eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
“The first thing you should know is that there are 56 recognised ethnic groups, and 8 regional cuisines in China! This is really a hard question for us to answer.
“Different regional habits are very diverse. For example, in one morning, a Shanghai family might have soya milk and twisted cruller as their breakfast, while another family in Guangzhou will have tea and steamed buns. The next day, the same Shanghai family might very well have orange juice and sandwiches while the Guangzhou family will have soya milk and noodles!
Chinese cuisine comprises a large variety from different regions, and basic Chinese food is divided into 8 regional cuisines. Even the same type of dish can be prepared differently depending on each region.
Do you have any pets?
“Yes! Here are some pictures of my dog.”
Having pets are quite common, and dogs and cats are popular household choices. The feisty Chihuahua you see above belongs to my co-worker, while other co-workers in my office also own cats, fish, and even a rabbit.
How does your family celebrate special occasions e.g., birthdays, Christmas?
“China has plenty of festivals to celebrate throughout the year, like the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Qingming Festival. Behind each festival is a colourful folktale.”
The most important holiday is the weeklong traditional Chinese New Year (also known as the Spring Festival). With a history of several thousands of years, it remains one of the largest celebrations for the whole nation.
It is said that, once upon a time, there was a ferocious mythical beast known as the Nian (年, nián, literally “Year”), that terrorized villagers during the Chinese new year. Over time, people realized that the beast was afraid of three things: the colour red, loud noises, and bright lights. From that point on, people would wear red, set off fireworks and hang lights to frighten away the Nian during the New Year.
These traditions continue even now, and during the Chinese New Year, people will wish for luck, happiness and peace for their families in the coming year.
