No More Comrades on Beijing’s Buses

According to the New York Times, “China's bus drivers and ticket sellers have been urged to leave communism behind, with a new training manual instructing them to call travelers ‘sir’ or ‘madam’ instead of ‘comrade,’ state media reported on Monday.”

Leaving Communism behind? I wasn’t aware there was anything left to leave behind. The Global Times this morning carried this helpful explanatory quote from Wang Xuetai, a professor of literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: “There is always something awkward, something dishonest about the overuse of 'comrade' as it doesn't square with the fact unless the person you call comrade actually shares your political ideal.”

Or shares your sexual preferences…

According to Shanghaiist, the Chinese terms in the new training manual were “xiansheng” and “xiaojie,” although the Global Times reports the terms were “xiansheng” and “nushi.” Presumably the recommended form of address for women depends on the passenger’s age.

In any case, it all seems a bit academic. The only forms of address I’ve ever had from workers on Beijing public transport have been noncommittal grunts. As a passenger quoted in the Global Times article points out, “They are saying 'Good morning!' but their eyes are rolling... What really matters is that you care about the people you serve and not resent what you're doing.”

Apparently other terms deemed appropriate in the training guide include ‘please,’ ‘thank you’ and ‘you're welcome.’

Innovative huh?