America is a land of comforts, with all of life's necessities within arm's (or drive's) reach. However, while there are many things you can only find in the U.S., the opposite is also true: there are wonderful features of Chinese life that you just simply cannot find in America. So, in the spirit of cross-cultural awareness, here are aspects of Chinese culture that have the potential for success in the States.

1) Unique Chinese foods
There are few things that have the global reach of Chinese food. Chinese fried rice is as ubiquitous around the world as McDonalds. However, there are some parts of Chinese cuisine that have not quite yet made the transition to American palates. Sure, some of these are present in America already, especially in the China Towns, but they have yet to make a dent in the mainstream dining experience. A few of our favourites are hot pot, hand-pulled noodles (Lanzhou la mian), steamed dumpling (baozi), and spicy-numb soup (malatang).

Hot pot restaurants are great because they are, by design, social events. It is a great metaphor for the family-centred aspect of Chinese culture. The allure of hot pot is strong, because hot pot is more of an experience than just a simple dinner. There is something that makes you feel very connected to your fellow diners when everyone is picking pieces of mutton and potato out of the same bubbling cauldron.

Lanzhou la mian and baozi get major points for being remarkably cheap and quick to make. A bowl of hand pulled noodles are a staple of the Chinese lunch scene. As an added bonus, you get a small show of pulling, twisting, and kneading the dough as you wait. With the American flair for the dramatic, this show could very easily become a hit. For the steamed dumplings, they are perfect for eating on the bus or subway on your way to work. They are the ultimate on-the-go snack; they are less messy than breakfast sandwiches or burritos and are easy enough to produce so they can be sold virtually anywhere. 

We have all seen the stand of assorted raw meats and vegetables standing forlornly in the corner of restaurant while a boiling cauldron of broth cooks us a delicious bowl of hot and numb soup (malatang). This soup is noted for two things in particular: the Sichuan pepper (hua jiao), that gives the soup a unique numbing sensation, and the freedom to choose your very own ingredients. While the broth can be rather heavy, the chance to pick what you will eat can make this one of the healthier choices on the list. So, with Americans becoming significantly more health conscious, restaurants could pitch malatang stateside as a healthy alternative to fried rice in Chinese restaurants.

2) Public drinking
Some of the best memories of China are made on smoky street corners next to a mobile chao fan cart chugging warm Suntorys in the early morning hours. It's just not that unusual to see people drinking beer or baijiu out in front of little shops and stalls in Chinese cities, even during the day. During the summer, restaurants often spill out into street, with tables and stools hastily assembled to accommodate more guests, and diners will enjoy any variety of alcohol with their food.

In America, with our "laws" and "moral decency" we are sadly bereft of the joys of public intoxication. While you do see the occasional drunken fight on Chinese streets, that phenomenon is certainly not exclusive to China. Stateside, even if the public zoning laws made it to where you can only drink on certain street corners, that would still be a huge improvement over furtively sipping whiskey out of a paper bag in a dark alley.

3) Trains
With China's new system of high-speed bullet trains that cut hours off of intercity transportation, quick and affordable travel has never been easier in China. The Chinese government has dumped billions of Yuan and millions of man-hours into developing the infrastructure necessary to relieve the ever-growing tide of traffic-related problems.

While there is something inherently romantic about the "great American road trip", the economic pressures that have crippled the States in the past few years have necessitated the development of cheaper, more environmentally friendly alternatives. Due to this, trains are in the unique position to make the States far more connected. Developing a system of high-speed trains and the infrastructure necessary to support that system are a phenomenal undertaking, true, but if America truly wants to move to a more sustainable transportation system, it's a critical step.

4) Safety
This one can be pretty controversial and the argument centres around what exactly people consider safe. People harmlessly roam the streets in major cities around China at ungodly hours, while in America, everyone knows that there are certain parts of town where wearing the wrong colour could get you into some serious trouble. Most people wouldn't dream about roaming around downtown Detroit at four in the morning, but one hardly thinks twice about it in most cities in China. The majority of Chinese police don't even carry guns, something almost unimaginable in America. Knowing exactly what contributes to safety in China is a tough nut to crack; what's a lot clearer, however, is that America has a lot of work to do in this department. (For China/U.S. crime statistic comparisons check out this link.)   

5) Construction times and clean energy
This is a tricky one, as both countries have their faults. China is well-known for its lightening fast construction times and America, well, not so much. Few would question the statement that in China, when something needs to be built, they build it quickly. Stories of buildings being built in a weeks' time abound in Chinese media outlets.

The problem, of course, is that due to some of the shadier parts of the construction business in China, safety can be a serious concern. Add to that issues with corruption and graft, and it's not all rainbows in the Chinese construction world. Learning more effective methods of construction on all levels, while still maintaining transparency and accountability is the equilibrium both nations have so far failed to reach.

Additionally, China is investing heavily in solar and wind power to curtail the pollution generated to support its massive population. While the Chinese government certainly hasn't perfected the production, it has recognised the benefits of clean energy. Currently, China is the world's leading producer of solar cells and invests $9 billion a month on renewable, clean energy infrastructure and production. Something the U.S. could certainly take example from.

6) Traditional Chinese Medicine
Outside China, traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, can get a bad rap. At the mention of qi, and hot and cold energies, many will either roll their eyes or fail to suppress a sly, disbelieving smile. However, TCM has a long, storied history throughout Chinese history and many foreigners have had the experience of their Chinese friend cautioning them on eating the wrong kinds of food in summer and winter.

Chinese medicine has been studied and practiced in China for thousands of years, yet it hasn't quite gained traction in America due to Western research on the topic being few and far between. There is certainly a stigma in the States that TCM is some glorified Chinese voodoo, but that is oversimplifying the depth and detail of the practice. Generally speaking, it's more about controlling what you eat and preventative medicine, and it's certainly better than taking a pill for every single cough and sniffle we come across in America. Besides all the tiger killing, TCM has the potential of gaining a much wider acceptance in the States.
 

Related links
Our Favorite Things About Living in China (Part 1)
6 Things Foreigners Often Get Wrong about Chinese People
Moments of Bliss: Remembering the ‘Good China Days'

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Keywords: positive aspects of China Chinese culture in the U.S. Chinese exports in U.S. special features of Chinese culture