In The Chinese Connection (also known as Fists of Fury), a turban-wearing Indian policeman bars Bruce Lee from entering a park with a “No Dogs and Chinese Allowed” sign prominently displayed at the gate. While Lee is arguing with the Sikh policeman a woman with a dog enters the park, but Bruce is still denied entrance. When a bunch of Japanese come along and order Lee to skedaddle, things go predictably wrong. A couple of haymakers and flying sidekicks later, the Japanese are knocked out or nursing injuries and Lee leaps into the air (despite standing only 170cm, Lee could kick basketball giant Kareem Abdul Jabar in the face), kicks the sign off the wall and shatters it with a second kick. There are no authenticated photographs of that sign, most scholars believe it never existed, but despite claims that there is no racism in China, discrimination definitely exists in the Middle Kingdom. We asked Chinese and non-Chinese about their experiences with discrimination in China.

Have you ever felt discriminated against in China, either as a Chinese or a foreigner?

 

Perspectives seeks to promote dialogue and cross-cultural understanding by featuring Chinese and foreign responses to a single question. Email us to be added to our weekly question mailing list or to suggest questions of your own and feel free to add your perspective in the comments section below.

Only when I’m with my foreign friend who doesn’t look Chinese, because Chinese are much nicer to him and he can accomplish a lot more, because of his appearance.
J / Netherlands

Sometimes. People from the big cities sometimes look down on people from the small ones. City people look down on country people. People with a lot of education look down on those with less education. But the most serious is rich people looking down on poor people.
X / China

I often feel a sort of reverse discrimination. As someone who is very obviously a foreigner, I get treatment that Chinese (or non-white foreigners) don’t. Some clubs have cover charges for Chinese but not for foreigners. I can find work more easily and get paid more than equally qualified Chinese, or non-white foreigners can. At the end of the day it’s worth the laughs and stares.
H / US

As a Chinese, I don’t feel discrimination
T / China

There is discrimination and prejudices in China but not as much as in foreign countries. Chinese people are all Chinese, whereas when I studied abroad I noticed that blacks were not seen as being as English as white people from England. China is opposite because we see all the minorities as being Chinese and want them to be part of China. China is not perfect and I can’t say how we would act if we were more diverse
X / China

Sure, every foreign student at BLCU has to pay for internet connection almost 2 times more than nationals. Things like this can never happen at home. 
A / Russia

Of course. Welcome to life as a minority.
R / US

Women in China still face discrimination when it comes to careers and studying. All the people in colleges studying education are usually women because those jobs are more common for women and easier. Few women study business or become CEOs. China is still a very traditional society in this way.
J / China

In the sense that Chinese don’t pretend that everyone is equal, yes. Foreigners have different status, people from the cities have different status, ethnic minorities have different status. Chinese society hasn’t yet bought into the ridiculous political correctness and affirmative action ideology that dominates the advanced western countries. Chinese recognize that societies will contain stratifications, western cultures merely pretend these don’t exist and often give opportunities to minorities to prove how much they care and how sensitive they are.
L / US

 

Related Links
Racism in China
Female Graduates Face Less Pay, Fewer Jobs
Is There Really No Racism in China?

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