Asian countries have fascinated westerners since the dawn of time, and for a good reason. They are so different from everything we’re used to seeing in the west that even the smallest details impress us. China is one of the biggest countries in the world with a rich history and culture that dates back thousands of years. From acupuncture and Confucianism to flavorful cuisine and amazing art, China has given us many incredible things, gadgets, and trends. And yet, it still has a lot of secrets only locals know about. Here are 11 absolutely bizarre facts about China that drive foreigners crazy.
Chinese parks
One of the first things that shock foreigners when they come to China is the amount of people who get out of their homes at around 5 a.m. in the morning and go to local parks to practice yoga, play football, do gymnastics, and whatnot. There are also loads of bizarre devices you can use for your workouts.
‘Luggage rooms’ for husbands
Shopping malls in big cities are all equipped with a type of ‘luggage storage’ for husbands, who can’t stomach doing shopping with their wives. While the ladies enjoy what they came there to do, husbands spend time in small hi-tech cabins with games and soft drinks.
Chinese babies are born 1 y.o.
This happens due to the concept named East Asian age reckoning, with actual age of a baby starting from the Chinese New Year’s Day, not the day baby was actually born.
Foreign tourists
Foreigners are still a big deal in most Chinese cities, especially when you go to the outskirts or rural areas. So don’t be surprised when you get some pretty intense attention from the locals when you visit this amazing country.
Charity machines
China seems to be the only country that has special charity machines that give you 20 grams of cat and dog food for each used plastic bottle. This idea is purely brilliant!
The bike problem
Despite being so good at recycling and creating all kinds of solutions for environmental problems, big Chinese cities still have a long way to go. Like this bicycle problem is getting more serious with each passing year! What was supposed to be a simple solution for rent bike parking spots turned into a real catastrophe.
Love for street food
In fact, Chinese are pretty crazy about it! In China you will see people eating literally everywhere – in the streets, public transport, even on the go! But what’s even more impressive is the variety of street food that ranges from simple lunch boxes with meat, rice, and veggies, to dumplings, soups, and scorpion kebabs.
You can buy anything in the Chinese vending machines
Similar to Japan, Chinese vending machines sell everything from usual snacks, drinks, and cigarettes to more elaborate things like fresh foods including meat, crabs, and even cars.
Not all of China is smoggy
While it is true that big Chinese cities can be quite polluted, we can’t say the whole country is drowning in smog. Head to the Yunnan province and you’ll be taken aback by the rich and beautiful nature of this region!
Crazy food mixes
Chinese food manufacturers are really good with mixing the unmixable ingredients. This is probably the only country in the world where you’ll find things like blueberry pizza and greet tea beer.
Green tea is not the most popular drink
While China has one of the most ancient and beautiful tea ceremonies in the world, this country’s most popular drink is actually hot water. It is believed that hot water helps from all kinds of illnesses and maintains the balance of yin and yang energies in the body. Basically this is the ultimate cure for everything!
