Ning Yi and Guo Meili
Why Can’t the Chinese Wait in Lines?
Dissecting a Cultural Phenomenon
Phoenix Weekly, 2018
What's inside?
In China, no one has time to wait in line.
Recommendation
The prevalence of line cutting in China remains baffling to those from abroad. Foreign journalists have tried to dissect the phenomenon, ending up none the wiser. A recent round of viral videos showed some line cutting altercations getting out of hand. Why is this practice so pervasive in China? Phoenix Weekly columnists – writing under the pen names Ning Yi and Guo Meili – recap a few cases of line jumping that went viral and offer their light-hearted analysis of the reasons for this cultural quirk. This not-so-serious article isn’t an in-depth social study, and its rally for social change seems more like an afterthought. Nonetheless, getAbstract recommends this entertaining read to anyone interested in contemporary Chinese culture and society.
Summary
About the Authors
Ning Yi and Guo Meili are op-ed columnists who cover social topics for Phoenix Weekly.
Comment on this summary