10 BIZARRE FACTS ABOUT CHINA
#1.
Children poop everywhere in China.
Split-pants are often worn by Chinese children so that they can easily use the restroom whenever
they want.
It is not uncommon to see a Chinese mother holding her baby, split-pants downward, over
a public trashcan.
Split Crotch Pants- or Open Butt Pants, is an old style of potty training.
#2.
Some Chinese police use geese instead of police dogs.
According to the Chinese authorities , geese have great vision and can be aggressive, making
them a great alternative to a police dog.
Law enforcement agents described the geese as a new highlight of stability maintenance
work and said they had proved themselves better than dogs in tackling crime.
Geese are very brave.
They spread their wings and will attack any strangers entering someone's home.
The birds were like a radar that does not need power.
#3.
It is possible to restore your virginity in China.
In a more disturbing plastic surgery trend, some Chinese women pay hundreds to restore
their hymens before their wedding night.
An artificial hymen also known as artificial virginity kit (and popularly referred to as
a "chinese hymen" or "fake hymen") is a type of prosthetic membrane created for the purpose
of simulating an intact human hymen.
Since hymens can be broken via physical activity or even by the use of a tampon, many women
are concerned about restoring their virginity.
While the Hymenoplasty procedure requires admission to a clinic and can cost thousands
of dollars, the artificial hymen provides much cheaper and convenient way to become
a virgin again!
#4.
Many Chinese children are being named after the Olympic games.
After the Olympics in Beijing in 2008, it is estimated that over 4000 newborn Chinese
babies were named "Aoyun", meaning "Olympic".
We understand that the Olympics being in Beijing was a source of national pride.
The majority of the children named Aoyun are male.
But there's more.
More than 4000 Chinese share the same name as the Beijing Games mascots, the "Five Friendlies".
It has become a popular endeavor in China to give children unique names as a way of
expressing a child's individuality.
#5.
You can't have kids until the government lets you.
Married Chinese couples have to apply for and be approved for a Family Planning Certificate
three months before or after the pregnancy.
The birth permission, a way for the authorities to control the population, means couples are
allowed to have children legally.
Parents will get fined if they have babies without it.
Applying for the permission can be a very cumbersome procedure, especially with many
couples not living and working in their hometown where they are usually the registered as permanent
residents.
#6.
They have a festival dedicated to eating dogs.
The Lychee and Dog Meat Festival, commonly referred to as Yulin Dog Meat Festival, is
an annual celebration held in Yulin, Guangxi, China, during the summer solstice in which
festival goers eat dog meat and lychees.
The festival spans about ten days during which it is estimated that 10,000-15,000 dogs
are consumed.
#7.
Everyone goes on vacation at the same time.
Everyone gets holidays at the same time - for Chinese New Year.
In just 40 days, it is estimated that 3.7 million Chinese people are traveling.
In China there are 3 major holidays, and on those 3 occasions the country basically shuts
down and everyone goes home (literally).
Vacation time in China is family time, and the 3 holidays are: Chinese New Year, Labor
Day , and National Day.
#8.
In China, you can rent a significant other.
There are services in China that allow you to rent a date online - unlike Western escort
services, the goal isn't sex.
Instead, Chinese people rent their significant other to get their parents to stop complaining
about being single.
Usually however, kissing, hand-holding and "other dodgy physical contact" weren't included.
#9.
Some 35 million Chinese people still live in caves.
Reporting from Yanan, China, the newspaper details the varieties of cave dwellers'
experiences.
Many live in Shaanxi province, where the region's porous soil is particularly well-suited for
easy digging.
The caves, called yaodong in Chinese, are usually dug into the side of a mountain.
Often rice paper or blankets hang from semicircular entrances to serve as makeshift doors.
Swankier caves have several chambers and are secured with brick masonry.
Some even have electricity and running water.
#10.
The Chinese army uses pigeons to send messages.
China's military is training 10,000 pigeons as part of a reserve pigeon army to
serve as a back-up communication system.
The opportunity to employ pigeons for military purposes was certainly not lost on some of
the best military minds throughout the ages.
Pigeons are largely credited for opening up communications with Europe prior to the invasion
of Normandy during WWII.
But as technologies improved, with things like the radio, and more recently the internet,
it seemed that our trusty feathered couriers could enjoy a bit of retirement from service
-- that is, until the Chinese military began thinking about a 'worst-case' where these
modern inventions fall short.