Beijing Issues Olympics Style Guide: No Pajamas Or PDA

BEIJING — Polishing up Beijing for the Olympics has extended to the city government telling residents what not to wear, advising against too many colors, white socks with black shoes, and parading in pajamas.

The advice, on top of campaigns to cut out public spitting and promote orderly lining up, was handed out in booklets to 4 million households ahead of the Olympics, an official said Thursday.

The etiquette book giving advice on everything from shaking hands to how to stand is part of a slew of admonitions on manners, said Zheng Mojie, deputy director of the Office of Capital Spiritual Civilization Construction Commission.

"The level of civility of the whole city has improved and a sound cultural and social environment has been assured for the success of the Beijing Olympic Games," she said.

There should be no more than three color groups in your clothing, the book published by Zheng's committee advises, and wearing pajamas and slippers to visit neighbors, as some elderly Beijing residents like to do, is also out. It recommends dark-colored socks, and says white socks should never be worn with black leather shoes.

In the last few years, the government has educated people on how to prepare for the Olympics under the slogan: "I participate, I contribute, I enjoy."

Measures such as a ban on spitting in the capital city, which started in 2006, and the introduction of a day to show a little more patience in lines _ on the 11th of each month _ have paid off, Zheng said.

Campaigns involving nearly a million volunteers have been launched to give etiquette tips at schools, universities and government offices. In some districts university students have been encouraged to go to villages to educate rural people, she said.

"Such campaigns and educational activities are now gradually improving the lives of Beijingers, for example now you'll find more smiling faces and people are more properly and elegantly dressed," she said.

The book advises that there should be no public displays of affection, feet should be slightly apart or in the shape of a V or Y when standing, and a handshake should not last more than three seconds.

Don't ask foreigners their age, marital status, income, past experience, address, personal life, religious beliefs or political beliefs, it says.

Another book, published in April, details how to be a good fan when watching Olympic competitions, saying spectators should cheer all teams, and accept that a victory or loss is temporary whereas the impression of the culture inside a sports venue lasts forever.

Comments

[chinationreport]

To free Tibet would have to start with freeing all the American Indians and all of us pack up and go back to where our fathers came from, well mostly Europe.

Come on America, we can be a role model in showing how a free world can lead.

Here is a video from a 22 year old Chinese living in Canada, which drew over 3 million viewers. Don't watch it if you have high blood pressure:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9QNKB34cJo

Eat your Chinese food, visit China, talk to Chinese people living here... China and Chinese are not monsters. They have had their ups and downs in the past 5000 years and it looks like they will survive a few more years.

Stay informed about China from balanced sources, visit often http://www.chinationreport.com/

[mergina]

I am BOYCOTTING Chinese food here in Chinatown during the Olympics. It won't be easy cause there are so many good restaurants, but my mind is made up.

[Chinesepeasant]

I believe in freedoms, I believe in democracy, I believe in human rights, which are wonderful in the US and many other western nations.

It is a good thing many western people are concerned about Tibet and its people, for certain, many years later Tibetans will be really appreciative of what the human rights advocates or freedoms fighters are doing for them now. But, I myself as a Chinese, have been wondering how much those westerners yelling " Free Tibet" really know about Tibet and its people and its history, there is no doubt that bad things have happened since the very moment of its takeover(?) by the Chinese in early 1950s, however, the question everyone concerned should be asking is " are Tibet and its people better off now than if ithey were still under the rule of Lama?" or "the Chinese people is better off now with Tibet as a member of its big family?"( unfair or just to ask the second question ? well, for those in the US , you could get the answer from any of your founding fathers , who had first hand experiences with the Indians, and for those in the US , I think everyone , instead of pointing finger at China or other nation for their fault ,should be busy trying to fix the big hole in their system after the invasion of Iraq, who gave you the right to go into a nation without permission or invitation?

[elan4444]

I am just having a moment this week understanding how the Olympic committee, whose representative asured us in April, that "internet access will not be restricted for reporters" now accepts these restrictions. Will Beijing be able to keep a clamp on all these foreigners? Our country is supposed to be the beacon of freedom for the world, but here we are, Yahoo and Google especially, accepting curtailment of freedom of speech just for the bucks. The fact that China owns much of our shocking national debt should give us considerable pause, and cause for concern that we may be losing our integrity in reference to personal rights when we participate in this deception. Just what was the blockade on Cuba all about for these many years, anyway? A full page ad in the NY Times asked if there is an athlete who will stand up for Tibet. That places a sense of anticipation in play - will there be an athlete who has the courage to do so? And what will our reaction to his or her defiance of China be? Stay tuned for further news of the once proud Light of the World, the USA, now the US of Consumerism. We bow to China.

[GeorgeKaplan]

Pinko Commies.

[Oilygarch]

Why ''pinko'' and what does ''pinko'' have to do with ''commies'', especially what does ''pinko'' have to do with China? What kind of a remark is that? I'll have to mark that as negative value added and Flag you as ''abusive''. *LOL*

[punx]

Up the punx!! It was a very nice picture, but were is the story about the Chinese Punks? They must get bothered a bit more by the police and government people then the punks in the west.
---up the punx.....

[AryanMjolnir]

'Unity punks, all together...'

[cardineau]

Whats the matter with all of you ignorant people. China is a far less aggressive and repressive society than this land of the free and home of the brave. The Chinese are rightly proud of their country ... I am envious. There is nothing to be proud of here with a bunch of war mongering criminals as our leaders.

[psgoodguy]

i love how they have unfettered access to the internet. i'd be proud too. oh, and those clear blue skies, too. ahhhhh.

[AryanMjolnir]

What about Tibet?

[macintoshsauce]

Yes, I am sure that China has to be proud of its soldiers of the People's Army shooting innocent Tibetan monks as they trek to their religious celebrations along the Chinese-Tibet border. I saw film footage of that and it made me sick.

[11907281]

Brown shirts are OK, right?

[Oilygarch]

Brown shirts are OK, as long as not worn with purple trousers. That would so much clash! Speak to the ministry of fashion mistakes on that. That's the big fuscia building in the middle of Tianemen surrounded by a security detail outsourced to the swiss guard. Bobbies had come close and are appealing, well, I guess to someone they must be appealing, but they'd lost the competition by a hair from their fuzz-cap.

Now, on we go to my Olympic sub-committee on the proper grooming mustaches. I must prep for the agenda on hygiene after slurping down some good hearty lo-mein!

Impressions are always lasting. *adjusting gig-line*

*LOL*

[xujojo]

I am called Beijing Joe, my wife's home city, most of the people are friendly and polite. The only thing that turned me off when I started to visit years ago, is beautiful girls spitting. My Tai Tai (wife) tells me they are not Beijing people but girls from the country side who came to Beijing for work. You can cuss out a cop and they will ignore you, but say something political and your in deep do do. My friend got 90 days in jail for going to a Fulun Gong meeting. I've gone to Catholic Church there and the Priest told me in English "Peace be with you" I replied in Manderin "Peace be with you, too. I love Beijing!

[DontSpinMeBro]

For a little perspective:
In the USA,
Don't chew with your mouth open, wash your hands, say thank you and excuse me and your welcome. Don't wear white socks with black shoes. Don't ask women their age, income or size of their spread. Don't burp at the table. Stand patiently in line, sit patiently in rush hour. You can't hit anyone if they call you a @#$%! or a %$#@!. And my mother and your mother and my teacher and your teacher ALL said "repeat after me...."

[Oilygarch]

Yeah, and if someone doesn't understand what yo uare saying, don't just say it again but LOUDER!

*LOL*

[sassafra]

no free tibet t-shirts, no laptops with banned urls, no filing "bad" stories filed by reporters, no "bad" pictures taken, , no talking to "bad" people, no thinking "bad" thoughts.
bend over please and to lower trousers...time for loveable panda security hug
thank you, come again!
love and many many huggles,
1936 mark II olympiad china

[macintoshsauce]

ROTFLMAO

With my bookmarks, including this banned website, my MacBook would be taken away in a flash. Then I would kill them for even attempting it. LOL

[emerywood]

It is a great opportunity to " brain wash " the public to behave in a civilized and modern manner. It may sound frivolous and juvenile to the West that people have to be reminded to behave in this or that manner to conform, but China is behind the modern world in every way and especially in civic affairs.
The Olympics is indeed a very good opportunity to speed up civility and modernity in China with regard to improving the quality and behavior of the people. The only problem is what will happen to them after the Olympics ? I bet you bad habits die hard.

[WasteNJ]

Repeat after me,

"I participate, I contribute, I enjoy."
"I participate, I contribute, I enjoy."

Do they assemble masses of people in darkly lit rooms in front of massive screens with images of black socks?

I wonder what the penalty is for not standing with your feet in a "V" shape, or God forbid, wearing more than 3 colors. Do they run you over with a tank? The Olympic logo has 5 colors in it.... UH OH!

[Oilygarch]

If brown is a color and brown is a combination of green and red, does that disqualify as three colors?

Gotta go.

Ooops, I'm brown. I can't go.

[AryanMjolnir]

China is still a sinister, Orwellian society.