Like the ancient Chinese proverb goes: you aren't a real man unless you smoke.

In Chinese culture, men smoke alot, and small rules are ignored. This is Chinese culture. I do not think Westerners should come here and try to enforce Western culture on Chinese culture. You may find smoking nasty, but it is their culture, and you should conform to it, instead of trying to conform it to your culture "back home".

But most Chinese people I smoke to (especially the women) also hate smoking. They often just see it as a necessary evil to get on in social and work situations, as it was 50+ years ago in western culture.

Ocean, I think that is true of course. But until that changes, I personally think that we foreigners should adapt to their culture.

problem with being passive afgressive is the the passive agressive person always ends up looking the bad guy. why? coz pass agr is unaceptable behaviour in any culuture. and as someone else siad, as outsiders who are we to presume to teach them manners. mm tried to teach us all how we should eat and he was attacked for it and rightly so imho

Bad habits are not the same as cultural practices. There are surely some which should be discouraged. Those that are generally disliked by the very people who feel under pressure to participate would be one. If smoking is truly a Chinese cultural activity, why are the authorities actively trying to limit it (albeit lazily). This "cultural habit" kills millions every year. What about other "Chinese habits"? Is spitting a cultural activity we should respect? Or anti-Japanese rhetoric? Or kids pooing in the street? Or internet censorship? There is surely a line to be drawn between being culturally sensitive and pointing out universally unacceptable behaviour, whoever it is doing it. I would argue that smoking in public places (under No Smokng signs, no less!) is a fair example of crossing that line.

BTW my previous post here should have read "people I SPOKE to, not people I SMOKE to"!!

Part of learning is changing. Should footbinding be accepted although many chinese people did not believe in this practice?

agree they gotta change, but the have to change themselves. its not our job to TEACH them. societies evolve with a little input from other cultures. but not when that culture is forced upon them. ask the guys from shinjiang

Footbinding was outlawed by the European powers (foreigners).

@latataille

Matt, is that you?