A few key points, imho, on how to think about China’s “cool factor” and whether or not it can or should be exported.

Sure China has a plethora of trends, products, sub-cultures, punk rockers, designers, entertainers… the list goes on. And they’re all cool, to the Chinese. Whether or not those entities can cross-over into the West and still remain cool wholly depends on the whims and preferences of the latter group. The cool factor of anything is up for measurable grabs, since what is “hip” and “trendy” and “whoa” parallels the opinions of who is all those things.

So, the question really is not what makes China uniquely cool, but how China’s offerings are presented to and received by an outside crowd, namely the West. What I mean is this. At the end of the day, you’ll see that a lot of what makes China cool revolves around its people: the way they create, think, interact, and exist. If you inspect the States with the same question, you’ll probably end up with the same answer. After all—what’s specifically cool about the U.S.? MOMA? New Kids on the Block (part II)? The Macarena? (oh wait – we stole that) HBO? If you really think about it, the status of any American product, trend or phenomenon you can think of is usually directly related to the people behind it. What is it that the Chinese admire about the West? Why is Capitalism spreading like swine flu? Is it the cold hard cash that flows through money-grubbing hands (do dirty, inflated pieces of paper actually fill our emotional void)? Or is it a lifestyle representative of creative thinking leading to endless opportunities that is most appealing? If you think the latter, then the “cool factor” of any country is directly generated by its people.

The West is curious and has already been poking its head (though sometimes obtrusively) into China. China is saturated with the West. But how much of China is in the West? Relatively speaking, not much. That’s why there needs to be an active and continuous connection of both sides. And I don’t mean “bridge the gap via consulting and business trips and occasional baijiu dinners.” I mean, get the Chinese people and all their coolness into the daily lives of Westerners, and do it as often as possible. When Western and Eastern citizens actually start casually interacting on a regular basis, the “cool factor” of China will surface and evolve naturally. And regardless of what brand or technology or concept comes over from the East, elements of cool (i.e. what is interesting and relevant to said persons perceiving X) will already be part of the package: because the people that make these things cool will have already been exposed.

Did I just solve world peace?

I would also invite @sagebrennan to comment on this, as he has some interesting things to say re: Chinese people and their own thoughts on what’s cool.

You have a coolest idea about linkages of one of the greatest cultural divides on the face of this planet, and well done in your creative pursuit!

Hi Aimee,

Started to read your blog; is a nice accessible easy to digest source of China information.
The brainstorming upon China’s coolness is a good idea, since everybody nowadays is crazy about China, but if you ask them why… you’ll hit a “coup de foudre” upon China — so no explanations; just the result.
Jenny Bai made an interesting touch in the people’s area. That reminded me that when it comes to a nation’s cool stuff, you must remember its core: folk+lore. Not long ago I started to read about China and I realized there are so many resemblances with Romania. This lead me back in time when tourist coming to Romania were crazy to buy FOLKLORE, because it was cool for them (especially all the hand made objects, that need special attention to accomplish them). In that spirit I remembered what I love about China and how, indeed, many of its elements were already imported here.
Let’s start naming them, not before saying that COOL is SO many times synonym with what we cannot penetrate, things that we don’t have, things that we cannot do or we do not do normally:
1) Martial Arts – my dad was an instructor and even I (as a girl practiced them: it was cool for a girl to be tough)
2) Chinese writing – my cousin has a tattoo on his arm (“nothing w/o G.od”, but… guess what… with Chinese symbols)
3) Chinese medicine – acupuncture, herbs, tea; all the mishmash (you name it) – that is so cool especially today. Why? because pollution destroyed our green refuge and now we want to run back to it (Chinese already have a loooooong tradition)
4) Chinese calm + words of wisdom (many of them applied in warriors meditation – so is cool to be tough but not showing you’re that rough – keep your cool — maybe that is what helps them do an amazing job in negotiations, driving you crazy while you’re boiling in your own juice)
5) Chopsticks – of course is cool and in some occasions we invite our friends for diner or something, and we try to introduce them the chopsticks when we serve the rice (I did it for my family twice)
6) Chinese food – I personally love how they can cook anything and use everything. Just like in my country, you learn because you need 2. With all this crisis story and global warming, I think this is going to be a world wide trend. So, start buying Chinese Cooking Books.
7) Chinese clothing – is a trend now in Romania 2 wear either Romanian pattern inspired blouses, either Chinese. I preferred the Romanian black and white (but they are MADE IN CHINA hahaha), but my mom has a red one with specific flowers print
The symbol of the “Dragon” – already imported; many times seen in tattoos form (just watch K1 fights once… they are all dragons…)
9) Chinese horoscope – who was not curious to check these guys version also (imported wisdom + trusted wisdom)
10) Chinese looks – I know many people longing for a Chinese hair or almond-shaped eyes (I’m first) – because their looks inspire power
11) Chinese ambition and desire to learn – no comment on this one. Is pretty obvious.

These are some fast ideas that “cascade” in my mind the moment I remembered the “Folk+lore” concept (and Chinese people are a lot of “folk”). Hope it helps answering some of your question. I also already added you on my twitt list. Looking forward to see what else makes China cool and most interesting + what will we import(all the above 11 points I mentioned are already in).

“Felicitari pentru blog!” (Does that sound like Chinese 2 u? ) Oh, wait, you speak Chinese… It would have been my case… even if I can speak several languages Hey, let’s add this 12) Chinese special language – that gave birth to this expression: “Sounds like Chinese to me” – and is cool to speak Chinese – all things that are not too accessible, become cool and more than that: it fascinates us! Oh,yes, and that was: “Congratulations for your blog!”

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