Website celebrates crackdown on human trafficking, drunk driving and... Shanghai pajamas?
As all good publications, China Daily published a few year-end lists to close out 2009. Nothing surprising there. What has gotten some attention is their “Top 10 crackdowns 2009” compilation. Although the government has every right to be proud of the hard line its taking with measures against the likes of the Chongqing triad (No. 1), drunk driving (No. 3), and human trafficking (No. 7), how did these serious issues make the list next to pajamas wearing in public (No. 8)?
The Chongqing triad, drunk driving and human trafficking are all national issues that negatively impact people’s lives across China. Wearing pajamas in public is a Shanghai tradition loved by local and foreign residents alike. Although how Shanghai's love of public pajama wearing started is still up for debate, the practice is often attributed to a 1930s social normal which came about because, at that time, being able to afford the fashionable sleepwear was considered a status symbol, so those who could wore their pajamas with pride for all the world to see.
Putting sleepwear on the same list as stopping some of the worst corruption in China just doesn't seem fair. Shanghai has a lot of quirks to say the least, but wearing pajamas around town is one of the better (and more memorable) ones.
Although it’s well known that local officials are trying to eradicate public PJ practices before the 2010 Expo, they’ve met a fair amount of local opposition. Three cheers for the Shanghai pajama wearing holdouts, if we only had nice (and warm) enough PJs, we'd be out there with you.
read most
commented