oh my god. another one

writing this wasn't necessarry, we could've guessed

yes they do

yes you are

actually, by now i don't feel evil anymore, so i'll answer. they're taught to do is as kids because swallowing phlegm is bad for you. that's it.

Damn kid just got here on a banana boat...ur in for one hell of a ride!enjoy!

Will you please shut the f*** up?!

I smoke 2 packs a day and I don't feel the need to heave my guts inside-out in public.

No, it's not mainly the over 30s.

All the smoking doesn't help doesn't mean the smoking causes it.

And OK, I see.

man this guy is so green lol.

The continual honking of motor horns is much worse.

When I first came to BJ in 2004, the spitting was much worse. You'd hear it constantly. Now, you'll experience it merely regularly. Thanks, olympics civilising programme!

And to answer the OP's original question, I believe it has something to do with Chinese traditional medicine and health practices...they believe phlegm should not be kept in the body or some such crap.

......hahaha...I had a student do it in my class....hahahaha....a few times. Girls, boys, old or young...they all hawk and spit. Supposedly....."IT IS GUD FOR IOUR HEALTHY" ......spread the good news, spread diseases!...

When I first arrived here, I was disgusted and curious and the same time. How would it feel to imitate that?
So one day, I pulled myself together, took a deep breath, made sure nobody was looking and drew a big hunk of phlegm from my toes all the way to my oral orifice. Right at that moment I was so totally sickened by what I just did, that I almost puked my guts all over the place.
>>>Catharsis<<<
Now, my curiosity is gone and revulsion remains.

You want the real reason? Here it is:

It's the uneducated masses. Look at the history of China. You can't expect them to know any better.

Langfang, you'll remember back in 2004, formin a line didn't exist. This is because for several decades immediately preceeding Deng's reforms, if you waited in line, you starved. Only those that clamoured to the front got the food and goods they needed.

Also:

1. There's a traditional stance in Chinese theatre of a man spitting to denote his status. Chinese people spit because they think it makes them look important.

2. Chinese people are like ADD patients. They're all wired up on MSG and green tea. Have you ever seen a Chinese person sit still for two minutes? They can't. Watch a Chinese person sitting in a restaurant. Their legs go up and down like they're operating a sewing machine. Chinese people smoke more than any other nation because it gives them something to do, a kind of nervous twitch.

The women don't smoke so they eat guazi (sunflower seeds in their shells). Try selling de-shelled sunflower seeds and see how well your business does. Chinese people need to contantly doing something with their hands, de-shelling guazi and spitting them everywhere, chain-smoking, breaking things, hitting buttons, pumping their legs up and down, shouting into a phone, playing ringtones one after another or spitting phlegm or even just saliva onto the street.

> I was amazed a few months ago as I waited for the lights to change, and watched a girl throw a handful of sunflower seeds in her mouth and chew.

Ha. The first time I read that I thought you said as SHE waited for the lights to change.

As if a Chinese person could wait ten seconds for the lights to change before crossing the road!!

No way, just jump straight into the traffic. Sure it's dangerous but staying still for ten seconds could cause death from boredom!

MUST DO SOMETHING CONSTANTLY!!!

That explains why at the beach Chinese people can't just relax and lay out, or have a few drinks, take a nap or quietly read a book. Instead, what I have seen, is the need to constantly be entertained. So they bring out the banana boats and beachside KTV.....

your sinology doesn't make sense, as they do it more to each other than the occidentals.