I'm getting to the point where anything the Chinese do in preparation for the 2008 Olympics wouldn't surprise me anymore. But this one still threw me for a loop.It seems the Chinese are starting to train future spectators on how to cheer during Olympic events.
Yes, this is all part of a larger Olympic etiquette campaign to show off a polite, prosperous and powerful China. In the Olympic city, the campaign has the awesomely titled "Beijing Civilized Workers Cheering Squad," which is a public-education program to teach sportsmanship
China's worried that people cheering at the wrong moment could create negative coverage of the Games. Which is understandable. I mean why would you want to draw attention away from your massive pollution problem and rampant brainwashing?
There are currently 20 cheers that have been approved by authorities. Like this one for example:
"Zhongguo, Zhongguo -- ha, ha, ha. Zhongguo, Zhongguo bi sheng. Jia you, jia you." Rough translation: "China, China -- ha, ha, ha. China, China must win. Let's go, let's go."
I agree, it's pretty bad, but I'm sure the other 19 are outstanding. I'm told at least one incorporates a Chinese version of the John Mellencamp "This is our Country" song.
Naturally, there have been some problems with the Chinese learning how to cheer for sports they've never seen before.
At a field hockey test event this summer featuring Argentina and Australia, hundreds of middle-age women were bused in to add atmosphere and tried to imitate cheers in Spanish, but butchered them.
They also chanted "Ba mao si fen han de di le" which roughly means "Eighty-four cents, you've offered a price too low."Yep, it's going to be one hell of an Olympics.
-WCK
8 comments:
If 84 cents is too low, we know they weren't talking about factory wages.
These are shaping up to be the most unsettling games since 1936.
Maryland has been doing this for years.
who needs independent thought when you have the olympics?
Ridiculous. Chinese people gotta think for themselves. I reacted to this article too.
http://www.sportsprocentral.com/2007/12/04/why-does-china-get-olympics-2008/
Thanks for the hysterically funny post. They have officially moved beyond parody.
We train the cheer leaders forever since I remember. Why pick on the Chinese for aiming higher for image or politeness, or anythingelse.
You are ridiculously bias and critical.
We train the cheer leaders forever since I remember. Why pick on the Chinese for aiming higher for image or politeness, or anythingelse.
You are ridiculously bias and critical.
Anonymous, your lack of a sense of irony betrays your origins; we know who you are. Tell your masters that we are on to them.
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