A Letter to CGTN

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a 70-year-old ethnic Chinese calling both Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur “homes”. I know some Chinese but am unable to write well in Chinese. 

I enjoy watching your News and Documentary channels. However, in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, I am dismayed to see you are still not conscious of the need to help educate the masses in cultivating better table habits. Many of the Lunar New Year celebrations shown in your broadcast still depict people using own chopsticks to enjoy common dishes. This surely is a contributing factor in the spread of diseases, isn’t it?

Maybe you want to give a thought to this matter?

Incidentally, below is what I have just posted in Facebook: 

“Bad Habits Die Hard... But High Time To help Stop Them... 

I have been watching Lunar New Year celebrations on CGTN and cannot help feeling concerned. In spite of the coronavirus outbreak, Chinese are still generally not conscious of a bad table habit: using own chopsticks/spoon to dance/swim on shared dishes! I was also surprised to see similar depictions greeting cards that had been extended around. I don’t mean to patronise, but I think it is high time they stop this practice!

They should also stop coveting the consumption of exotic/wild animals’ meat and/or organs. 

A couple of other Don’ts, which are by no means exhaustive: 

1. Spit on the floor and dispose of rubbish indiscriminately. 

2. Dig nostrils, pick ears and pluck facial hair publicly. (Touching mouth, nose and hair unnecessarily should also be avoided.)

3. “Spray” your saliva everywhere when talking! And talk when mouth is chock-full.

4. Mess up public facilities like toilets, tables in food courts and fast food outlets, waiting rooms, in total oblivion to next users’ plight or distress.

5. Wear clothes that exude sour smell due to mildew. 

6. Converse on the top of your voice even though you are just feet apart from one another!

We may have five thousand years of civilization behind us, but when it comes to social graces and etiquette, many are still behaving like infants!”

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Lim Yu Book

林有木