I love photography. And everyone loves to be photographed.
Although
stereotypes are unfair, the Chinese really do love to throw up the peace sign
at any and every opportunity you give them- especially when posing for a photo.
Comically I didn’t realize until recently that they were not sporting the bunny
ears gesture so popular from my middle school days. I should have
realized that when the bunny ears fingers move in front of the body, instead of
bobbing behind some unknowing and foolish friends head, then it becomes the
peace sign- in all situations. Regardless of my own ignorance, the peace sign
has been popping up all over town, here in Beijing.
Although I personally think
it’s corny, it is also an endearing cultural phenomenon in China. It makes you
smile when anywhere from school children to costumed street performers to
gentle old men throw up the classic peace sign and wait for the flash.
That is
before you count to three- which sounds like ‘ee’ ‘R’ ‘saan’- and everyone
gleefully screams out: EGGPLANT! (in Chinese to me it sounds like ‘Chee-ed
Za’). I guess yelling ‘cheese’ in America sounds just as funny.
No comments:
Post a Comment