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Chinese fail to embrace free hugs
TV New Zealand ^ | 30/10/2006

Posted on 10/30/2006 5:47:55 PM PST by Decombobulator

Chinese appear not to have warmed to a "free hugs" campaign aimed at cheering up strangers by hugging them on the street, with some huggers even being hauled away by police for questioning, media said on Monday.

The campaign hit the streets of Beijing, Changsha and Xian this weekend, with participants opening their arms to embrace passers-by and brandishing cards saying "free hugs", "care from strangers", "refuse to be apathetic", the Beijing News said.

In the capital, police moved in and took away four huggers briefly for questioning, baffled by their wacky, Western activities on a busy city-centre shopping street.

In the ancient capital of Xian, home to the terracotta warriors, no more than 20 people, mostly children, had volunteered for the free hugs in two hours.

"Passers-by showed interest and curiosity, stopped and asked, but most of them walked away after hearing the explanation," Xinhua news agency said, quoting a local newspaper.

"Embracing is a foreign tradition. Chinese are not accustomed to this," a man named Li, a Xi'an citizen, was quoted as saying.

The ancient city of Changsha, capital of Hunan province, fared better, a local affairs website reported.

"Though some people refused (to be hugged), I hugged 20 people in one minute," one girl was quoted as saying.

The Free Hugs campaign started in Australia and gained fame with a music video this year.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: china; hugs

1 posted on 10/30/2006 5:47:57 PM PST by Decombobulator
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To: Decombobulator

With a billion plus people? I believe touching is outlawed.


2 posted on 10/30/2006 5:53:28 PM PST by Dallas59 (Muslims Are Only Guests In Western Countries)
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To: Decombobulator

Guess they'll have to try something a little "friendlier".


3 posted on 10/30/2006 5:54:59 PM PST by cripplecreek (If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?)
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To: Decombobulator

That's a shame. Chinese people are really cute ; D


4 posted on 10/30/2006 5:59:20 PM PST by Soothesayer (The end times are nigh! Repent and die!)
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To: Decombobulator
with some huggers even being hauled away by police for questioning, media said on Monday.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

5 posted on 10/30/2006 6:00:41 PM PST by SIDENET (Is it too early for flapjacks?)
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To: Decombobulator

I think in some places to check into a hotel room with a person of the opposite sex you have to be able to document that you're MARRIED to them...


6 posted on 10/30/2006 6:01:16 PM PST by gaijin
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To: Decombobulator

**no more than 20 people, mostly children, had volunteered for the free hugs in two hours.**

That's adorable. Too bad the groanups are too stoic.


7 posted on 10/30/2006 6:01:23 PM PST by Soothesayer (The end times are nigh! Repent and die!)
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To: Decombobulator

Apparently in the PRC it's a "Free BodySLAM Campaign"..!


8 posted on 10/30/2006 6:01:55 PM PST by gaijin
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To: Decombobulator

hugs not drugs


9 posted on 10/30/2006 6:02:36 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck
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To: TigerLikesRooster

????


10 posted on 10/30/2006 6:03:58 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck
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To: Decombobulator

I wonder how many of the designated huggers had money thrown at them instead.


11 posted on 10/30/2006 6:21:39 PM PST by P-40 (Al Qaeda was working in Iraq. They were just undocumented.)
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To: Decombobulator

So, this is what Deval Patrick plans to do with all of the serial killer criminals he pardons and all of the serial rapists he pardons just as soon as they are released into the general public. Thanks for the warning.


12 posted on 10/30/2006 6:46:10 PM PST by johnthebaptistmoore
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To: Decombobulator

Interesting.

In my experience . . . they are OK with folks they know closely. Strangers have to be viewed with suspicion on a list of variables for a list of reasons.


13 posted on 10/30/2006 8:26:39 PM PST by Quix (LET GOD ARISE AND HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED. LET ISRAEL CALL ON GOD AS THEIRS! & ISLAM FLUSH ITSELF)
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To: Quix

After two decades of economic development, there are a lot more strangers in China's cities. People move in and out of neighborhoods constantly today. General sense of personal safety has declined, particularly in major transportation hubs like Shanghai and Beijing. If I were a parent, I wouldn't want my kid to give free hugs to utter strangers on a busy shopping street either.


14 posted on 10/30/2006 8:41:32 PM PST by diesel00
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To: diesel00

Quite reasonable to me, too.


15 posted on 10/30/2006 9:25:44 PM PST by Quix (LET GOD ARISE AND HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED. LET ISRAEL CALL ON GOD AS THEIRS! & ISLAM FLUSH ITSELF)
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