The Chinese and modesty After a long moment of intense reflection on the direction in which I would see this blog continue, I am told that a series of posts thematic unrelated events (major, it must be said) of my life daily might interest you. So now, first in the series: modesty. I do not pretend that the truth comes out of my mouth, but what I write here is the nectar from my little experiment after eight months in Beijing ... feel free to send me the themes (or bitching, but constructively so!)
The Chinese have a relationship to the body which is very different from ours, Europeans, or at least French. First, the Chinese have relatively little physical contact in everyday life. For example, it is not the wind. Even among girls. The wind is associated with love for them. And besides even lovers do not show their commitment in public, even when they are only in the presence of friends, except maybe holding hands from time to time. The girls stand by them against often by the arm, or by hand, they have preserved this way give and receive affection. Men have been practicing the "pat on the shoulder," but I could see it very rarely. One explanation could be that the Chinese are generally concerned to demonstrate independence. Yet his feelings in public but rather reveal a weakness. Basically, a Chinese usually walks in a sort of bubble, to respect the required distance is 30 cm from the body surface. Well, we can say that it is somewhat understandable: they are so numerous, it takes them a little space!
But that's where logic stops, because the number will inevitably make the queues (or should I say the herds waiting) to allow four people to read the newspaper or even a single discharge the contents of his tray of six left feet at a time. And when someone enters a Chinese inadvertently, not an apology! Yet here, if my infallible logic is correct, there are serious encroachment into the sphere of the unknown other side!
Digging a little, and give us an example to the pool. The pool is a very interesting place when looking in relation to the body. Indeed, it is a place where the body is much more revealed than outside, but according to inflexible rules and there is a mixed space, a female space, a male space. I'm sorry for my readers, but I have not sent a spy in men. What I observed as a swimmer (assiduous) is already quite telling. Where the French municipal pools post signs "A clothing is required even in the shower, it is quite natural, even required, to walk naked in the locker room before a dozen individuals from 7 to 77 years of the same sex (and of course taking a shower in the same outfit, it goes without saying). At the pool where I go, there is no cab (I have 10 seconds to find the word so that sanctuary of privacy is rare in China) and showers are shared (with a small plastic panel for separate shower nearby, but nothing is planned for the shower in front!). My first experience was not done without a little anxiety, my individuality Would not be desecrated? In reality, there is the thing. The individuality of the body does not seem really make sense for the Chinese (when they are between individuals of the same sex, we hear). The body does not seem to serve the individual. It is rather an envelope, everyone behind hers, although she is not exactly the same as the neighbor. It must still take care of the body (the Chinese can do it very well) but between same-sex peers, sexual ambiguity disappears completely. And finally, from my second visit to the women's locker room, I started to feel really good. In comparison with France, I realized that in addition to never undress in front of strangers, when one makes body care (such as washing), we take great care not to lift his eyes to his neighbor. It would be so frowned upon. In China, it is not at all the same: everyone can see them / those around him, all eyes are raised, but does not bind. You chat happily. The body was something natural for the Chinese. Now I'm not saying I'd apology for nude beaches or I will advocate for nudity in public places in France, but it is true I am glad to be able to treat my body as something natural China. It's not exhibitionism, just not to get bogged in a regulatory assault.
Norbert Elias would have suggested here that France would be at a higher level of civilization that China, by restricting the "natural events" of individuals through modesty. And it would not be wrong, because the sputum three inches from my shoes or pets monumental in any location, or burping sound (without a word of excuse, obviously, because it's natural!) have the gift to inspire me disgust powerful enough. But here I am speaking as French, of course! The codes that I learned to follow from tiny being also openly violated, my brain did not need to connect far for my reaction starts.
This corroborates the thesis is that eliassienne in the basin of the pool, where mixed men and women, we see these mostly wear a jersey that looks a bit like our jersey 1950s, closed , often with a short skirt and charges. The space is shared, but there is no question of showing too much of the body, for nature is also sexual. Women do not feel too comfortable in a suit that would reveal "Too much". An indicator that the control of impulses (as described Elias) is not developed to its maximum in China.
Thus, loop the loop, why my Chinese friends (boys or girls) are horrified when they retreat, in my joy to see them, I forget that I am not in France and I throw me in their arms to make them a kiss? Yes, the impulse control by society is not as high here as in France, suddenly we operate by the banned history to avoid "excesses". It is of Norbert Elias. Well, after we think Do we want the degree of civilization of the Chinese and French companies. I find my account on both sides: in France I can show my affection in public, nobody will find fault with and in China, I can not do it, I miss also not bad, but between modesty Women are not here, I feel so much freer with my body than in France. Comments welcome on what it is for men in China!
I hope I have offended anyone with my analysis with a ladle of a social fact on which we could write thousands of pages, which finds undoubtedly explain much deeper than two or three I ventured.
