Enjoying the Culture 161employment. As recently as the mid-80s, there was still a
great deal of bias in the system. There remains a view that
there are certain subjects and positions that women are more
appropriate for than men. A brilliant woman with multiple
degrees once told the story of having to pretend she didn’t
understand math as well as the boys in the rural area that
she was educated, as it was frowned upon for a female to
have an affinity for math.
With the opening of China has come the greatest influx
of consumer choice that any country has ever known.
In just 15 years, China has gone from a supply-based
economy to a demand-driven economy. While as recently
as ten years ago you were lucky if you had a choice of three
brands of toothpaste, today major supermarkets have a
whole aisle of options to choose from. This has made the
Chinese the least brand-loyal nation in the world—every
month there are new items to try and new products
being introduced.
One last change to the social fabric brought about by
communism worth mentioning is the change that has
happened in marriage. Historically, families played a
significant role in the choice of partner for their child, to
the extent that most marriages were arranged in advance.
In modern China, marriage is an independent decision,
although a happy one is better ensured by receiving the
blessing of the parents.
SEASONS AND CELEBRATIONS
The Chinese Lunar Calendar
The Chinese zodiac is used to reference years, in much the
same way that Westerners make reference to the Gregorian
calendar. It is not uncommon to have someone respond
with a zodiac sign rather than an actual year when you ask
how old they are. ‘I am an earth pig’ is a well understood
answer, giving common reference not just on age, but also
on character and preferences. It even influences your love
life, as some signs are meant to be more compatible than
others. The Chinese only began using the Gregorian calendar
in 1911.