For all of its modern appearances, there are numerous opportunities to still find old traditions still in use in China. For example, this woman is on her way to her clothes washing spot on the side of this small lake near the C.I.T. Xinbei campus. She is carrying her little wooden stool that has served her well for many years and yet feels at home in using a modern plastic tub to make her work that much easier in comparison to the other ladies who must use the lake itself as a tub.
It is strange to see these ladies washing on the sides of the lake when they have to pass a number of laundry shops to get there. Obviously there is an issue of economics It is obviously cheaper to do one’s own laundry than to send it out for others to do. We were fortunate to have a modern washing machine in our apartment allowing us to do our own laundry. But it isn’t all about money. In the housing compound which included a number of beautiful homes worth millions of yuan, it is easy to see women out washing clothes the old-fashioned way in the courtyards in behind their mansions. It has more to do with habits of a lifetime lived rather than taking advantage of the economic boom that is transforming China today.
Now, for another small Chinese lesson. Besides learning how to say hello and how are you, it is important to learn basic forms of politeness. Saying “please,” “thank you” and “you’re welcome” will go a long way in earning respect among the local people you meet and those with whom you will work. “Please” was an expression I didn’t learn until quite late. As a result, I guess I may have sounded a bit disrespectful to those with whom I came into contact. I imagine that I sounded like the typical self-centered North American. This time around, I intend to change that impression. “Please” is qing – 请. This might be misleading as there are many variations on the word please that have more to do with association to other words and context as well as intention. But that said, saying please as a stand alone word or an introductory word is well worth the time and effort to learn it. “Thank you” is more universal as Xièxie – 谢谢. To say “You’re welcome” catches most Chinese by surprise whereas saying “Thank you” is not as surprising. Whenever I said “You’re welcome” I could see that I had earned even more respect. In Chinese, “You’re welcome” is Bú kèqi – 不客气 . This version of “You’re welcome” is the informal version. Just a reminder that you can click on the pinyin versions of the Chinese words to listen to the words.