If you walk by a construction site or stand by a bus stop in China, you will see posters encouraging the ideals of the country such as freedom, equality, and lawfulness.
Every time I see one of these posters, I read it. The one thing that always stands out to me is lawfulness, or more literally “ruled by law.” I think China is moving more and more towards a strict, rule-based society. What do I mean by this? Let me give an example.
One night about three years ago, Ben and I were on our way to the train station after having dinner with some friends in Shanghai. At this point, we were living in Kunshan, which was a 20-minute high-speed train ride from the center of Shanghai. We had already bought our tickets online. All we needed to do was pick them up at the ticket counter.
However, when we got to the ticket office, we realized Ben’s phone had died. We needed the code on his phone and my passport to pick up my train ticket. With just my passport, the person behind the counter could not find our reservation. So, of course, we looked around the ticket office for an outlet, but there was none to be found. We asked where the nearest place to charge his phone might be. They said that this would be the train station itself.
It’s important to mention here that the train station is quite a good distance from the ticket office. If we walked over there and charged Ben’s phone, we would not have enough time to come back with the information necessary to pick up my ticket. This was a problem because we bought the last high-speed train ticket to Kunshan. So, if we missed this one, we would have to consider staying the night in Shanghai.
We didn’t want to do that.
Feeling we didn’t have much choice, we rushed over to the train station. Normally to get into the train station, you must already have a train ticket. However, I did not have my ticket. Ben and I explained the situation to the guards, and they miraculously let us pass.
In the station, we found a place to charge Ben’s phone, but we were running out of time. There was no way we could make it back to the ticket office. In fact, we weren’t sure we could even catch the train. Once Ben’s phone had enough charge to bring up the confirmation email, we rushed over to the ticket gate and explained the situation to one of the guards there.
We told him we had bought train tickets, but because Ben’s phone had died, we didn’t have a chance to print them out at the ticket office. We showed him the email with the confirmation code and hoped he would let us onto the train.
Now, why might the email not be enough evidence? It’s entirely possible to buy a train ticket and then get a refund. However, you would still have that first email confirming you bought a train ticket. So, an email showing your confirmation code doesn’t really prove you have paid for your train tickets.
However, again miraculously, the guard let us by. We ran and got on the train, and I breathed a sigh of relief as the train doors closed. We were going to make it home that night, and I was eternally grateful.
Often in China, I find that people are willing to listen to the individual’s situation and make an exception or give the benefit of the doubt. It was the last train. Not many people were on it. So, maybe that attendant just thought, “Let these people get home tonight.”
Whatever he thought, I thank him.
In my last five years in China, I have had people make more exceptions for me than I would have expected. I feel that they listen to my particular situation, and they try to find a way. Of course, this could relate to having privileges as a foreigner. Being a good host is a very important Chinese value, and people may make an extra effort to help a foreigner resolve an issue. However, I do not feel this treatment is specific to me.
Continuing with the high-speed train as an example, the guards at the gate will normally allow you to get on an earlier train as long as you have a ticket for that day. So, for instance, many people commute from surrounding counties, like Kunshan, to Shanghai for work. The rush hour train times are always sold-out, but you can buy a ticket for later in the day, show it to the guard, and he will let you on the earlier one. This way, you can still make it to work on time. All you need is to have a ticket to the desired destination for that day, and the guard will rip the ticket so it can’t be used again.
I really like this side of China. The side where individuals are heard, and sometimes people are given the benefit of the doubt or an exception is made. However, I think it’s changing.
For instance, China now has a high-speed train called the Fuxinghao. They are very proud of this train because everything in the train was made in China. All the technology, parts, and design were completed in China. The thing is, you cannot get on it unless you have a ticket for that particular train. With the Fuxinghao, it does not matter if that train goes to your destination, or if the ticket price is the exact same amount. You have to have a ticket for that exact train.
I’ve also noticed that they have become stricter in general about having a ticket before getting into the station, and the liquids you can bring, except water, need to be within the same confines as those taken on an airplane. I was very surprised the other day when a security guard wanted to check the quantity of a perfume I had brought with me to Ben’s parents. I was relieved that it happened to be within 2 oz.
Of course, these rules are often meant to improve the overall quality, safety, and equality of the treatment each train passenger experiences. If the rules are too flexible, then you never know if you will be able to get on that earlier train or encounter a guard who strictly enforces the statement on the ticket that you can only get on the train printed there.
This creates inconsistency. It creates room for special treatment, which can be problematic.
But I’m starting to realize that sticking strictly to rules or laws does not always lead to justice. In a world that is naturally unfair, some people just need a break. They just need to get to work or to get home. Sometimes we need someone to care more about our individual circumstances than they do about the rules.
**The featured image was taken at a bus stop. It lists many of those ideals I mentioned at the beginning of the blog. China wants to build a country that is prosperous and strong, with liberty and equality, and much more.
Comments