A Country Full of Deception
(where I only walked around for an hour and a half after I landed on a
ship from Matzu Islands in Taiwan)...now with the trip over and not
much else to do before my father returns from the States and my
grandmother getting here from Nanjing, I suppose it is time to write
some reflections on the entire trip (two weeks long...even thought it
was too much...after all, the Taiwanese leg happened rather
spontaneously without much planning).
The main purpose of this entire trip, seen retrospectively, is the
comparison of mainland China with Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Same
language and culture does not mean a similar present, and the result
of 6 decades of different political and economic backgrounds really
show on the outer appearance, social order, and especially, the
characters and attitudes of the people, both to themselves and to each
others, especially in the case of mainlanders vs. the other
Chinese-speakers.
Perhaps the greatest difference anyone should notice is the
freewheeling spirit and the accompanying lawless confusion that is the
perhaps the main trait of the mainland people and society as compared
to the orderliness shown by respect for the law, each other, and
tradition that is fully on display over in Taiwan. Hong Kong and
Macau, both being European-influenced in the past and highly dependent
on Chinese immigration and economic integration today, tend to come in
middle in the two extremes of mainland and Taiwan.
Now, let me iterate an example that fully shows the lawless
free-for-all economy on the mainland. Walking down the street in
Wuhan, China, I was called upon by an innocent-looking middle-aged
woman claiming to be an unemployed temp worker for a major cosmetics
maker. "Free sample giveaway" was the words coming out of her mouth
as I was practically dragged into a nearby office building amid
serious doubt about the legitimacy of what I am about to go through.
It should be noted that I don't usually fall for something like this,
but because a few days ago in Shanghai I was in a similar situation
involving free soft drinks in which I got away with turning in fake
contact information, I figure I had nothing to lose if this one turned
out to be like the one in Shanghai. Of course, the problem is, it
didn't turn out to be as straightforward as getting some soft drinks.
I was rushed up to the second floor of the building where one of the
office spaces was converted into a "beauty salon" (from the outside it
actually reminded me of those massage parlors offering "special
services").
As I entered the "beauty salon" completely devoid of customers, I was
told I will given a free check-up to access the condition of my skin.
Few slabs of various facial cream and rubbing on my face later, a
second person came in saying that the treatment will cost me about 80
RMB...and I just got snapped back to reality, and begin to argue that
I need to leave immediately as I am missing my school registration
(trying to pass off as a poor student), handing them a 100 RMB (I know
I should've just run away at that moment, but I can't leave then with
all the white cream still on my face...)
Telling them to just finish immediately, I anxiously allowed them to
go back to the "free check-up." Few minutes later, the second lady
came back. I was told the treatment has somehow cost that 20 RMB I
should get back in change and that I can get a full bottle of
brand-name facial cream for a low price of 50 RMB...with that she
should her bottle of brand-name facial cream, which turned out to be a
fake L'Oreal (the name spelled wrong on the packaging).
Now I am just absolutely pissed, screaming that I do not want it and I
just want out right now. The store have to turn up the background
music in the salon to cover my screaming...the lady treating me told
me that she will wash off my cream-covered face right now if I pay an
additional 40 RMB for the disposable cleaning pads, which I did out of
spite. After the cleaning I was finally given my sample, fake facial
cream in a package small enough to be the free service item at a
decent hotel.
140 RMB for a little pack of fake cream...well, lesson learned, I
suppose...never go for any "free" stuff on the streets of China and
never answer to anyone telling you anything about any "promotional
item." Never pity anyone who is asking for any sort of help because
they are from an unfortunate economic background. Do not trust anyone
that you meet on the streets to do anything...All in all, trust should
not be in the mind of any person in a public place in China.
It is too bad I didn't tell this story to anyone I met in Taiwan. I
am sure they would suspect something like this goes on here on the
mainland, but I bet they would not ever imagine the sheer scale,
frequency, and skill that deceptive activities such as this occurs.
It is sometimes sad to watch innocent people from an orderly society
like Japan or Taiwan learn about the dark side of society and become
total cynics in places like China or the US....
Comments
Post a Comment