On my way to work there’s a small street stall selling all different kinds of congee. I usually go there to buy take-away congee for breakfast. One day I have time to sit down for breakfast. The woman in her 40s selling the congee comes up to me to have a chat.
A while into the conversation, she asks:
“Do you have a boyfriend? You can look for a Chinese boyfriend.”
I: “I already have a Chinese boyfriend.”
She: “That’s great. You’ll have mixed-blood* children. They’ll be very beautiful … and tall, since you’re very tall yourself.”
On a different day, my boyfriend who is 1,89 m tall is with me and we both buy congee at her street-stall.
The next time I buy congee at her street-stall, the woman says: “Your boyfriend is really tall.”
I: “I think so too. He’s from Northeast China, you know.”
She: “You’ll have really really tall kids.”
*Mixed-blood (混血) is the word Chinese usually use when talking about biracial kids.
Have you ever been considered tall in a foreign country while in your home country you would be considered average?
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I can’t say I relate. I am not even 5”2 and my legs are shorter than my upper body. I am short or just about average no matter where I am. All my Taiwanese/Chinese friends are taller than me. My husband is Taiwanese and he is 5”11. 🙂
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I never felt that height is very important. But then I was always average back home, so nobody would say something about my height. My boyfriend would be tall even in Austria, Shenzhen has its own share of tall people (unlike most other parts in Guangdong, where people aren’t usually that tall), since it’s a Chinese immigrant’s city and people from all over China are living here.
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Yes, if you’re average height, it wouldn’t feel important.
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Does your height bother you a lot? And do you feel that people comment more on it in the US or in Taiwan/China?
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well first question, how tall are you? ppl in china really admire height.. tall guys -> sexy..
actually, it happens in the US as well, just not so prevalent..
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just curious, how do you like congee? its really traditional chinese food lol..
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I’m 170 cm, which is considered average in Austria. If congee is prepared well, I do like it a lot – just like the ones my favorite congee-lady makes here in Shenzhen. There are many places which sell great congee in Guangdong – I also love congee that has been prepared in one of those earthenware cooking pots (shaguo). How do you like congee?
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i think the congee is flavorless.. so usually i have to combine it w/ something else to eat. but sahguo is absolutely enjoyable, esp the one w crabs and all kinds of seafood!
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You’re right, more often than not it’s flavorless, unless you find a place where they make good congee and use more ingredients than just water and plain white rice ;-). I love the black rice congee my favorite congee woman makes. One day her husband even advised me to try another kind of congee for a change since I was eating black rice congee for breakfast most of the time.
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Hahaha, height is a pretty big deal in China. Every time I go back, people marvel at how “tall” I am when I’m just normal in the US. But in the US people always comment on how tall I am – for an Asian. Must have been all that nutrition as a kid! 😛
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Hahaha, height is a pretty big deal in China. Every time I go back, people marvel at how “tall” I am when I’m just normal in the US. But in the US people always comment on how tall I am – for an Asian. Must have been all that nutrition as a kid!
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I’m pretty sure it was! Or the sunshine or the clean air? Or the combination of it all or maybe it’s just in your genes? Who knows… 😉 I guess I should read up on scientific articles about height.
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Yeah, for some reason the Chinese are fascinated with “mixed blood” people, aside from height. Reminded me of this article. http://shanghaiist.com/2013/07/22/xinhua_posts_gallery_of_mixed-blood_model.php
However, I have heard similar sentiments in America about mixed black and white children, that they are more beautiful than only black or only white children. I don’t really care because I JUST LOVE BABIES!
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Many people in Austria think that Asian babies are really cute (and mixed ones for that matter), so it really goes into both directions, but people seem to be more pronounced about it in China. I was laughing out loud when I read the word “mudblood”, because that’s really what the word “mixed blood” always reminded me of. Babies are babies no matter the race or the mix, it’s probably best they don’t understand what grown-ups say about them most of the time.
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I’m short in my 国家，Australia, but average in China (which I LOVE). Your blog is inspiring me to write about my experiences in China as a 华裔！
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That’s a great idea – I’d love to read about your experiences as a 华裔!
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