nyone who has lived abroad has a built-in understanding of the nuances that come with it. And living in China has its own set of unique quirks that only other expats living here would fully understand. These shared experiences are not only amusing but also create a sense of belonging, a feeling of being part of a niche community that truly gets you. I am even part of an expat meme group that posts jokes like, “How can you complain? There are literally people living outside the 3rd Ring Road,” and funny reels depicting the foreigner navigating life in China with just one phrase: ting bu dong – “I don’t understand.”
These cultural nuances even make their way into stand-up comedy and, even more recently, a play I saw performed by a volunteer acting troupe. They reenacted the age-old tale of A Christmas Carol, but with a distinctly modern, China-based twist. When the beloved character Bob Cratchit gets home, he can’t stay long because he has to head to his second job – a delivery driver. The crowd erupted with laughter as he pulled out the unmistakable yellow jacket and helmet. And that was just the beginning. Even ol’ Scrooge himself said he “couldn’t spare a fen” (cent) for the homeless. Where’s the Christmas spirit, am I right? As I left the show, I realized this was a truly special moment in time. To appreciate the humor, you had to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right understanding of the culture. And with the show sold out and the whole theater giggling in unison, we had all experienced that magic moment.
As far as stand-up comedy goes, while the days of Hot Cat Club comedy nights in the hutongs are long gone, you can still catch shows around the city. But Hot Cat was where I had my first encounter with stand-up in China. The jokes ranged from the obvious to the delightfully nuanced, such as historical anecdotes. One comedian, performing at a residential bar, opened with, “Hello, Beijing! Keep your voice down; the neighbors aren’t happy!” Nuanced jokes like these would never land back home in the States. When I first arrived, I often missed the punchlines as comedians peppered their sets with what I now recognize are common Chinese phrases. And the crowd ate it up. While it did take some time, the more experience I gained in China, the better the standup got.
Even something as simple as watching movies or TV shows with Chinese references has taken on a new dimension for me. Before living here, I never realized how often China is mentioned in foreign shows. Sometimes the references border on offensive, but often they’re used to describe something far away, like characters lamenting, “It’s not like my house is in China or something!” Growing up, I even believed the common saying that if you dug a hole straight down, you’d end up in China. Well, when I came, I took the easy way out and ffew here instead!
But with years in Beijing under my belt, knowing the culture and having an walk through it, the masses of people are eating kebabs, playing mahjong and even sporting “Beijing bellies.” I couldn’t help but wonder: Would audiences back home understand these cultural elements? Maybe a few, but I felt glad while watching it that I had personally engaged in these activities in the country where they originated in.
I’ve even joined in on the fun, creating my own Chinese twist on the classic Christmas poem, “The Night Before Christmas.” My favorite line goes:
“Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Beijing
All the taxis were honking, and bike bells did ring;
When I turned up the volume on my phone with care,
In hopes that my delivery soon would be there.”
Living somewhere long enough means it becomes a part of you, and China has certainly become a part of me. And I am glad that I am able to have this special experience from having time well-spent in China.
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