Chinese Renovate Toilets and Mannerisms for Olympics
It takes practice -- and lessons -- to mind their manners and cheer graciously.
July 10, 2008— -- Beijing wants to put its best face forward during next months Olympic Games -- only tall, slim and pretty women need apply to become Olympic hostesses.
The women have learned atypical skills, such as how to apply makeup, how to walk with perfect poise and hand out bottled water with the utmost grace.
And citizens have been instructed on the proper way to cheer at sporting events so as not to offend discerning foreign fans.
China's preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games, which are set to begin Aug. 8, include initiatives to remove the buildup of algae on the Qingdao coastline and to restrict traffic to combat air pollution. In an attempt to present a perfect image as China hits the world stage, however, the focus has turned to citizens' mannerisms.
There are a whole bunch of new "no-no's" -- new, at least, for many Chinese.
Spitting on the streets, which is practically a national pastime, is punishable by a $7 fine. Smoking, also popular, has become more regulated. And restaurants, mainly those that cater to foreigners, are required to offer nonsmoking sections, which is not easy to enforce.
Unlike the conventional police who fight crime, new politeness police bark orders to line up at bus stops. The idea of a queue is very foreign in China.
On the packed Chinese subways, there is typically an inordinate amount of pushing and shoving, even more than by New York City standards. The concept of letting people get off the subway, before getting on, is relatively new.
Zheng Mojie, the deputy director of the Beijing Civilization Office, who has become the "Miss Manners" of Beijing, said the focus on politeness and order is essential.
"When you have a visitor, you need to clean your house," Mojie said.
The Chinese have embarked on a major housekeeping project, investing $57 million in renovation projects and the construction of more than 5,000 public restrooms -- once the bane of foreign tourists.
