Though the government has cracked down on public spitting, it’s common to hear men loudly clear their throats and then eject their spit in a dramatic jest on the sidewalk. They also blow their noses onto the floor without a tissue. I saw a man spitting on Tianammen Square with Chairman Mao’s portrait in the background. By the time I got my camera out, he had finished spitting. I stood and waited for him to spit again, but there was no repeat. It was illegal, but he spit anyway.

Riding in public transportation during rush hour is an invitation to be crushed or lose consciousness from the reek of people who don’t shower often or don’t wash their clothes. Sometimes, vile aromas of garlic or other strong foods come out of people’s pores and unwashed mouths like exhaust from a car.

Public toilets are usually squat toilets consisting of a hole. Floors are often wet and dirty. Soap is usually not available at the sinks.

Could there be a massive Hepatitis outbreak in the country due to low hygiene standards? There could already be some epidemic in the country that we don’t know about because of the stringent Chinese government blocking bad news about the country. (In 2003, the Chinese government hid that it had a SARS problem for a while. While the government was covering up the issue and not letting in help from the World Health Organization, Chinese people were dying due to SARS.)

Mao, who do you want to be your spitting image in China? A spitting man? How about some civilization…

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