How Chinese People Stay Warm in the Winter

The Nanjingese are professionals at staying warm in the winter, in constant fear of catching a cold, because catching a cold is just so 麻烦 (troublesome). Although catching a cold actually has nothing to do with being cold, they actually still have the best system against catching a cold. They leave the doors and window open, so houses and buildings are not stuffy hotboxes where the cold virus can spread easily. They don't spend a lot of time inside with the heat on, so the cold virus doesn't have more opportunity to spread. Regardless, Chinese people hold fervently to the belief that being cold and eating cold food makes you sick, so they bundle up like no one else in the winter time. Here are some pictures I've taken around Nanjing, where the average temperature has fluctuated between 20 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit this January.

I feel so bad for Chinese babies, who are subject to incredible bundling lest they get sick, or horror of horrors, someone thinks you're a bad parent because your kid isn't bundled up to the point where they look 3 times fatter and their faces flush red from being too hot.

Chinese kids are little fat bundles that can barely move during the winter. They wear an outer layer like an apron, a full-scale bib, so their parents only have to wash that outer layer instead of the whole coat. 

 

Despite their bundling, Chinese babies' pants are still split in the crotch and their butts hang out for easy waste disposal. No diaper rash in this country! Note: I got this picture from a Chinese clothing store online because I couldn't capture the wonderment myself. 

Face masks are a popular and efficient way to stay warm. This guy's mask says "We are paranoid" in English in white lettering.

Big, fluffy ear muffs are also in fashion.

Ear muffs and fluffy boots.

Riding a motorbike is especially cold, and they wear these huge fur-lined mittens that attach to the handle bars.

Face mask, fur-lined hood, bike mittens, and leather leg warmers: this chick is prepared.

All bundled up and ready to go.

It seems silly now, but it took my forever to figure out what these arm covers are (notice she is wearing a dark blue coat with light blue arm bibs). They are arm bibs- adults and children alike wear them in the winter to cover the bottom half of their arms. I thought they were for warmth at first, but actually it's just to keep the coat from getting dirty so you don't have to wash the whole coat, just the arm bib. You see people everywhere wearing these, especially kids or adults when working or cooking.

My neighbor, Big Sister Chongyang, wearing arms bibs over her coat while cooking. 

Little girl with light pink arm bibs over her coat.

Chinese word of the day:

牛－ niu2－ literally cow, aka "awesome" (slang)