Chinese Media Save Cherry Blossoms by Shaming Rampaging Tourists
This year has been the same as any other when it comes to China's annual cherry blossom festival: beautiful, delicate flowers get man-handled and abused by inconsiderate tourists who take turns climbing and shaking trees just for the sake of a photograph.
And yet, there is one new thing that may halt these ramaging tourists dead in their tracks, something to make their blood turn cold: a boogey-man, if you will. And for China, the boogey-man comes from one particular place: Japan.
In their reports about this year's misbehaving tourists, Chinese news organizations like CCTV and Sina are using the phrase "Chinese-Style Flower Appreciation" in their headlines, referencing the infamous 2016 catchphrase invented by a Japanese talk show host to ridicule Chinese tourists.
Back when Japan was an ideal travel destination due to its depreciated yen, Chinese tourists caused an international scandal when they were captured by Japanese media abusing cherry blossom trees in Ueno Park in Tokyo (shown above). Shocked at their lack of respect, the host recommended that Chinese tourists be sequestered to "Chinese-only" photography zones in order to protect the remainder of the cherry trees. And to cap it off, the host came up with the famous phrase, "Chinese-style flower appreciation."
Even though there is little love lost between the neighboring rivals, China didn't fight back against the condescending term. Chinese media and netizens overwhelmingly turned on the Chinese tourists for making them "lose face" on such an international stage.
And, now two years later, this same Japanese mockery is back again as seen in the headline, "Uncivilized 'Chinese-style flower appreciation' behavior frequently sighted this spring." And while it may seem overly harsh to use the derision of your rival against your own people, nothing seems to deter Chinese tourists from abusing cherry blossoms.
A report from last Tuesday claims that security guards at Beijing's Yuyuantan Park have to remind tourists not to abuse the cherry blossoms 5,000 times a day.
We suppose there could be much more that could be done by authorities to protect the flowers: put up fences and signs, implement more rigorous penalties, encourage society to shun transgressors ... but using Japanese contempt against your own people? That's almost beyond the pale.
What could Chinese media be suggesting next to Chinese readers? "Japanese-style flower appreciation"? The mind wonders.
Images: Weibo.com
HIV Transmission Continues to Rise at Beijing Universities
Beijing Experiences First Big Sandstorm of 2018
Bureaucratic Red Tape Prevented Red Alert Call for BJ Sandstorm
Peking University Now Offers Controversial Video Game Course
13 Cuisines That'll Make You Sweat at Our Hot & Spicy Festival
Always something fresh
Long press the QR code above to follow us!
Tap on the cover to access the latest print issue.