Red
is a distinct symbolic colour in Chinese culture and during our first few days
in Beijing nowhere was this more prominent than on the armbands worn by some of
the people. Through talking to our
guide, we learned that these bands denote individuals who form a type of “block
watch” and report suspicious or wrongful behavior to the Communist Party. These individuals are present in all
communities, worn primarily by middle aged to older men who are able to observe
the community. Very prominent, these red armbands can been seen worn by police,
military police, vendors, in Snack Street, and even operating the luge at the
Great Wall of China.
The
red armbands evoke a strong sense of national pride, community, and adherence
to norms that are explicit in Chinese culture and more implicit (if present) in
Canadian culture. We have observed the Chinese flag prominently displayed in
public and private places. The North American idea of privacy is complicated
especially in the era of computer technology. Privacy in China is somewhat
relative to the needs of the greater society. The red armbands symbolize to us
the societal understanding that adherence to the Communist Party is vital to
the survival of the society as a whole.
While
we do not know how comfortable we would be living with the reality of a red
armbanded individual observing our moves, we understand
the cultural reality of being in a communist country.
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