A Diverse Palate
China is famous for its food, to say the least. Now, it’s nothing like the Chinese takeout you order after a long day of work. In reality, your local Chinese restaurant probably isn’t serving you authentic cuisine. Chinese cuisine is both melt-in-your-mouth delicious and bizarre (to foreigners, at least).
Bazaars and supermarkets offer a wide selection of wildlife you can make a meal out of including turtles, crocodiles, frogs, sharks, cockroaches, cats, dogs, and maggots. The local palate is extremely diverse, so if you have a sensitive tummy, make sure to ask your waiter about the dish you’re ordering.
Pajamas Are the Trend
The rest of the world may consider pajamas “low effort” or “not stress worthy” but the Chinese have very different opinions. Wearing pajamas outside is the new trend and we’re 100% here for it.
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Imagine not having to spend hours deciding what to wear just so you can meet up with your friends for half-hour. Despite their age, many Chinese wear pajamas to stores, for a walk, or even a meet-up with friends.
The Noodle Nation
The southeast part of Asia is known for its deep love of noodles and its countless variations and flavors in that food department. As expected, the Chinese can’t get enough noodles — to the point that they actually switch out birthday cake for longevity noodles.
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Longevity noodles are a cultural staple made for weddings, birthdays, and Lunar New Year. Spanning several feet in length, these noodles fill the bowl completely. The firmer and longer the noodles, the longer and healthier the life will be for the one eating it.
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Lightning-Fast Trains
A progressive nation such as China believes no time should be wasted in transit. There are some routes in China with high-speed trains capable of reaching a gross speed of 217 mph or 350 kph.
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The primary goal is to link the remote parts of the country alongside offering a cheaper alternative to airways. In 2010, the record for the highest speed was of a train moving at 301 mph or 486 kph, making these trains some of the fastest in the world.
Birthdays Once in 10 Years
Many locals like to celebrate their birthday according to ancient traditions — the first 30 days after birth, followed up a year later, another after six years, and then once every 10 years. Grand celebrations are a part of the person’s 60th and 80th birthdays.
In addition to that, there are some dates that people simply don’t enjoy celebrating. For instance, most women refrain from celebrating their 30th, 33rd, and 66th birthdays, as they believe this will bring bad luck for a year. For similar reasons, men don’t celebrate their 40th.
Haircuts on the Go
Who has time or money to go to the parlor and have someone cut their hair for an hour? Clearly not the Chinese. There are barbers spread throughout the city on many corners, and the locals are happy with these services.
You can comfortably get your hair cut as well as a shave while grabbing a seat mid-street. Several locals don’t consider it a big deal and will sit down for a quick cut.
Fear the Goose
2019 saw a puzzle stealth video game titled “Untitled Goose Game” take over the internet. The game asks players to control a loose goose as it wreaks havoc upon the inhabitants of an English village.
If this game gave rise to a weird fear of geese, get ready to shake in your boots. In China, geese are a part of the night patrol, assigned to catch robbers. Not only that, but there are more than 10,000 mail delivery pigeons under the army.
Black or Urine-Infused Eggs
A centennial egg is one of the most popular delicacies of China. A fresh chicken egg receives a generous coating of tea, ashes, salt, lime, and clay before it’s then wrapped in rice husk and straw. Then, it’s buried under the soil for three to four months.
Another noteworthy dish is Tóngzǐ dàn. The seller will travel to elementary schools searching for young boys who are yet to reach puberty (under the age of 10) and collect their urine. The eggs are then boiled for an entire day in the collected urine.
Cooking and Cleaning Robots
In a land of high-technology robots and systems, why would any store need a human server, right? In China, you might walk into a restaurant and get a big shock when you see robots conducting everything — from cooking the dishes to serving or cleaning up.
The first of this kind was opened several years ago at a research institute and grew in popularity shortly after. Today, some people purchase such robots to act as helping hands around the house.
Mosquito-Breeding Factories
Pesky mosquitoes always ruin everything. No matter how many times you wave around your electrical bat or use mosquito spray, they always come back. China is different from other countries, though. They infect male mosquitoes with a unique bacteria that makes them infertile.
Then, they are released into the world to infect females and prevent them from having any offspring in the future. In fact, China produces 20 million insects per week for this purpose.
Ladybug Feeders Everywhere
Over the years, scientists have found innovative ways to bring greenery back to this planet, and one of them is protecting the insects that perform pollinations. However, that’s now what ladybugs are for. They rid the plants of lice.
China uses a distinct paper structure soaked in a special substance to attract these ladybugs. In essence, they are feeding the ladybug so it can tackle the plant lice problem.