Shanghaiist: Backlash against public displays of pajamas

ScottLoar

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:45:02 +0700

To 樓上 Who is LOL: Read with understanding: "I told him we are preparing the Shanghai Expo (in 2010) and many foreigners will come here. "It's inappropriate to let them see you in your pyjamas." Note similar appeals before the Beijing Olympics; appealing to "what foreigners will think", or managing foreigner's impressions, is a common ploy in argument not only in mainland China but Taiwan and even Singapore but, say... You haven't been listening, have you?

Bsta1382

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:54:43 +0700

Ah, Brad, your 城市居民 ideas are truly groundbreaking!! Unfortunately, the Shanghai government is not (yet) proposing a law, just drawing light to the ridiculousness and uncleanliness of the habit. Your use of logical fallacy in banning street clothes from the bedroom couldn't work, but then again ... If the US could ban certain sexual actions in the bedroom, why can't China ban what is worn in the bedroom? Fortunately we are now living in a 1984 country that can stipulate one's individual actions, and PJ's are clearly not part of 和谐社会!! In regards to the bogeyman ... Hey!! It's nice to know that our (foreigner) opinions still matter. lol ... The movement is gaining ground because the Chinese themselves see the ridiculousness of it, and are embarrassed, regardless of foreigners POV. Just because the foreigners like it, does not mean that this should override the general Chinese population that do not. I presume most foreigners see the PJ's as 'quaint' and amusing. Consciously or not, I also presume they are looking down on the Chinese person, adding to the negative/lowly perception of the Chinese people. In a country/city where image has become everything, PJ's do not exactly present a positive image. Fashionable, expensive, and comfortable they may feel they are, belong in my factories or office they do not. Of course, I'm just a country bumpkin... Decades-old habits are hard to break, (spitting, pointing at people, not looking before they cross the road, etc). Regardless of the anti-PJ movement, it will be another 10-20 years before the street-PJ's and other 'amusing' habits literally die out. Till then, foreigners and non-Shanghainese alike will have something to write home about!

Bsta1382

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:54:02 +0700

ScottLoar

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 16:03:41 +0700

Whenever change in behaviour is wanted that bogeyman about what foreigners think is always led out to scare the kids.

Brad

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:30:11 +0700

So, because Bsta1382 and his xiangxia friends -- who I'm sure are all paragons of cleanliness -- mistakenly assume that Shanghainese people sleep in their street pajamas, the government should step outlaw pajamas in public. The logical extension of this law, of course, is to ban street clothes from the bedroom. Anyone who doesn't like it can go get some silk Changshan's made! Build a harmonious society! Eliminate feudal superstitions and pajamas!

Bsta1382

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 16:59:04 +0700

Just because nobody has yet explained to some Shanghainese the uncleanliness of some of their "unique," "cute" personal hygiene habits, doesn't mean that the government doesn't have a right to educate their citizens for their own (and the taxpayer's) welfare. I DO speak Chinese, have lived with Chinese families, have married a Chinese woman, and spent time out in the farmland. The Chinese that I have spoken to (albeit most not Shanghainese), think they're just old and 'crazy' and assume like I do that they sleep in the very close that they are parading out on the streets. Comfortable? My bed is comfortable, but it doesn't mean I want to live my life in it. I can assure you that there is plenty of comfortable clothing that does not include sleepwear. STILL not comfortable enough? Go get some silk Changshan's 长衫 made! For some reason, nobody is mentioning the dirt covered, worn out slippers (I'm not talking about the rubber sandals) that are so often worn with the PJ's. Also, nobody seems to care about the uncleanliness aspect of sleeping in pollution-filled clothes. Try climbing into bed with street clothes and see how quickly your significant other kicks you out of bed!! And she's not kicking you out because she/he wants you to be more 'comfortable.'

Bsta1382

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:00:27 +0700

yu888

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:23:05 +0700

FWIW, most of these folks have ACTUAL sleep PJ's and streetwear PJ's, so they do NOT as one ignorant poster said, sleep in the same clothes they go out in. But I suppose that would assume one would need to speak Chinese well enough to get the whole story from many of those who actually practice this habit.

Stephan_Larose

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:16:46 +0700

Oops! What I meant to say was "develop the group spirit! Ban expressions of individuality wherever they appear!"

Stephan_Larose

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:09:21 +0700

The fact that Shanghaiese may be the only people in the world to wear their pajamas around town is a reason NOT TO BAN THEM! This is one of the very few areas where Shanghai has something unique in its character (otherwise this is just an incredibly bland big city with very little color). How anyone can accept some neighborhood watch sticking their nose into their personal business? It doesn't hurt anybody, and in case you didn't know Mrs. Guo, you anal-retentive conservative bratwurst sausage, foreigners like to see the pajamas - we think they're great! There's nothing I hate more than conformity, except enforced conformity. Keep your stupid, offensively intrusive opinions to yourself you old hag, people can wear whatever they want - IT'S THEIR RIGHT!

James Creegan

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:17:38 +0700

Anyone who's worn those kind of pjyamas know that there is nothing more comfortable. I put a pair of Teddy Bear ones on for a joke in September last year and only took them off on Saturday afternoon.

Bsta1382

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:23:11 +0700

It forgot to mention that they are wearing both their PJs AND their slippers!?! Are they so lazy that they can't bother to put on some comfortable shoes instead of ruining their slippers? I could care less about the look, I just can't fathom why someone would willingly choose to sleep in the same clothes that are covered in the smell and dirt from walking outside? Do you think they are aware of how unhealthy it is to be sleeping in the same clothes that they are walking around in?? In terms of improving people's health, the government should make some sort of effort to persuade them not to wear their PJs outside. If they are looking for comfort, we are living in 2009, and there are plenty of clothing that are a lot more comfortable then the quilted, old-styled PJ's that we see worn on the street. Aside from the occasional, random person, in my many years living outside Shanghai (Sichuan, Yunnan, among others), this phenomenon seems to be 'special' to Shanghai. I'll even go so far as to say that Shanghai people are likely the only people in the world that wear their PJs outside. Clearly logic need not apply here!

billywags

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:28:51 +0700

Can't help but think that everyone would be much happier if they just stopped bloody worrying about what the foreigners will think.

This Ridiculous World

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:58:34 +0700

Pajamas are far less offensive than the hordes of hooker-booted women teetering around on their deadly heels. Pajamas are comfortable. They show much less to the neighbors than most acceptable fashion, or the sort of images displayed prominently on billboards and subway TV fashion shows.