Reshaping Black Perception in China
“I have grown to appreciate the opportunities I have to paint a positive image of Black men on the opposite side of the world…I recall a time when I was walking up the infamous streets of Lan Kwai Fung, Hong Kong’s clubbing district, with a Chinese classmate. He saw a presumably middle-aged African American gentleman wearing a Drew Brees Saints jersey, a couple of gold chains, and a black snapback. My friend interjected, “Wow, look! There is a gangster!” I proceeded to laugh hysterically…”
Traveling while Black is a unique experience that can be rewarding or quite frustrating, depending on your outlook on adverse encounters. In a place like China that has had limited interactions with countries with large ethnically African populations, it is not an everyday occurrence for Chinese residents to see people from other parts of the world. Your dark skin, coarse hair, and round facial features will be intriguing to them and a constant topic of conversation. However, from my travels throughout China, I have grown to appreciate the opportunities I have to paint a positive image of Black men on the opposite side of the world.
Without hesitation, I would say every Black person that has visited China, has confronted racial prejudice and rigid stereotypes. My one-year stint in Beijing has had a full display of incidents that occurred solely on the basis of the color of my skin. From a Chinese coworker presuming my brown paper bag full of coffee beans was full of weed, to more nascent occurrences of women slowing down and letting me pass in front of them on the sidewalk so I am not behind them (which also frequently happens to me in the US), each case is riddled with doses of naiveté and ignorance induced from a lack of multicultural exposure.
However, once understanding China’s historical context, it is easy to understand why. China is a racially homogeneous society. With a population of 1.4 billion, the proportion of people African descent rounds to zero. Outside of Guangdong — which houses an estimated 200,000 African migrants— and a few other metro cities, it is a rare occurrence to see a Black person on the average Chinese person’s commute to work. Additionally, the vast majority of Chinese people over the age of 42, did not receive a formal education due to the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), a communist movement to purge remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society. For those born after that time frame, their exposure is limited to sports, or American movies, which haven’t always placed Black people in the best light.
I recall a time when I was walking up the infamous streets of Lan Kwai Fung, Hong Kong’s clubbing district, with a Chinese classmate. He saw a presumably middle-aged African American gentleman wearing a Drew Brees Saints jersey, a couple of gold chains, and a black snapback. My friend interjected, “Wow, look! There is a gangster!” I proceeded to laugh hysterically, out of both embarrassments out of association with him and discomfort with the need of correcting him. I went to explain that he probably was not a gangster, but just a regular tourist. While he initially insisted, citing characters from movies and rap videos, he finally gave in and accepted my correction of his ignorance.
Understanding their lack of exposure has allowed me to view every seemingly-negative interaction as a learning opportunity for them, and hilarious moments I will never forget. In the latter half of my stay in Beijing, two of my long-time college friends came out to visit me in China, both Black, one a towering 6’4″ second-generation Nigerian-American. My friends and I caused quite a commotion when we trekked walkways of the Forbidden City. We were strolling in the palace courtyard when suddenly we were surrounded by a group of elderly Chinese residents. They had abandoned their tour guide and formed a circle around us. And for several minutes, they blatantly stared us down from head to toe. They asked us questions about where we were from, and if we were in the NBA, and asked to take ungodly amounts of photos with their family and kids.
While being a spectacle may have come off as harassment, exoticism, or prejudice, to some, their curiosity was not out of malice or willful ignorance, but naiveté from a lack of exposure to others like you. So, while it may be bothersome having to explain that there are, for instance, Black people in America, and being asked for scores of pictures, I would suggest trying your best to lean into the situation. See it as an opportunity to reshape perceptions of Black people, and educate them in ways that you can. Ultimately, I believe you get out what you put in. Coming with a receptive and positive attitude will open up some many windows of opportunity to have a real impact on Chinese people and their perceptions of you and others like you for a lifetime.
Kamaal Thomas, Washington, DC
Follow Kamaal On IG : @kamv019
