One of the more notorious cultural elements in China is the squat toilet. Shown in the first picture, the squat toilet is a commode in the floor. Rather than a throne on which to sit, there are places for your feet on either side of the drain. This particular picture was taken in the bathroom at the Xuzhou hot pot restaurant that I wrote about in blog entry #28.
Chinese public toilets are also famously dirty and smelly. As reported in a July 2007 Wall Street Journal article, Beijing has launched a city-wide effort to remodel and clean toilets in advance of the summer olympics. The challenge, however, is the shear number of users. For example, the public toilet next to Mao's portrait at Tienemman square services up to 100,000 visitors per day.
Many (or most) Chinese prefer the squat toilet. In fact, if faced with a seated-toilet, some folks will perch on top rather than face skin contact with the seat. The telltale sign is footprints on the seat which I have seen more than once in my not-so-extensive China travels. To my knowledge, in our family to-date, only Marco and Maria have used a squat toilet (in the squat position).
Chinese public toilets are also famously dirty and smelly. As reported in a July 2007 Wall Street Journal article, Beijing has launched a city-wide effort to remodel and clean toilets in advance of the summer olympics. The challenge, however, is the shear number of users. For example, the public toilet next to Mao's portrait at Tienemman square services up to 100,000 visitors per day.
Many (or most) Chinese prefer the squat toilet. In fact, if faced with a seated-toilet, some folks will perch on top rather than face skin contact with the seat. The telltale sign is footprints on the seat which I have seen more than once in my not-so-extensive China travels. To my knowledge, in our family to-date, only Marco and Maria have used a squat toilet (in the squat position).
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