Places Visited by Chinese Tourists Turn Into Dumps, the World Is Furious

China's poorly behaved aunties are at it again. A viral video shows a group of tourists from mainland China leaving a rental house in Osaka, Japan in a complete mess after staying there for three days. The clip, shared on X by a Japanese blogger, has been viewed 3.6 million times and sparked heated discussions among both Japanese and Chinese netizens. The blogger explained five Chinese tourists stayed at a vacation rental in Japan. The rental was left in chaos. The dining table was covered with empty meal boxes and drink containers. The bathroom floor was littered with towels, and the sofa and chairs were piled with used tissues. Screenshots of the Airbnb booking show that the reservation was made by a guest named Wang Yu, who booked the house for five adults for three days. It's important to note that when renting vacation homes in Japan, guests are expected to follow local customs and rules, including cleaning the property and restoring it to its original condition before checking out. Japan also has strict garbage sorting regulations that visitors need to follow. According to the website of a Japanese property management company, cleaning fees for vacation rentals typically range from 5,000 to 15,000 yen, about 33 to 99 U.S. dollars. However, the extreme mess left by these guests has severely impacted the homeowner's business. The listing is currently unavailable for booking on several travel platforms. For reference, the nightly rate for this property on Booking.com is around 400 U.S. dollars. China was once known as a country of etiquette, but today Chinese tourists often face a mixed reputation abroad. While they aren't universally unwelcome, many places have started avoiding them due to past incidents. For many Chinese netizens, this feels unfair. Most of them behave properly, but they often end up carrying the blame for the bad behavior of a few. A Japanese commenter remarked, because of the immoral behavior of just five people, the entire Chinese nation ends up being viewed negatively. Another Japanese vacation rental owner shared, we won't be accepting Chinese guests in the future. We'll explain the reasons and post this decision on our website. Uncivilized behavior by some Chinese tourists overseas isn't new, but their antics keep reaching new extremes. From cutting down trees, chasing birds, and creepily following strangers, to bizarre actions like washing their feet in water dispensers, some Chinese tourists seem ready to demonstrate it all. It makes you wonder, is having basic decency limiting their creativity? For example, in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, a famous tourist spot became the backdrop of a new kind of embarrassment. A white wall at the site was defaced with bright red graffiti promoting a Chinese influencer's Douyin account. Free advertising, apparently. But for Chinese visitors at the site, seeing the giant red characters must have been a deeply awkward moment. In Thailand, a Chinese man was caught cutting in line at the airport. When someone told him not to, he boldly responded, haven't you ever cut in line before? The crowd couldn't stay silent. they shouted, stop embarrassing Chinese people already. It's not just abroad. Even within China, historical and cultural landmarks have suffered at the hands of careless behavior. After all, only a small portion of Chinese citizens travel overseas. At Niantan Park in Beijing, senior citizens were spotted using drinking fountains to wash their feet. The park's management had installed drinking fountains for public convenience, with clear signs urging people to use water responsibly. In sandy areas, the signs even specifically prohibiting washing muddy hands, feet, or toys, but the warnings seem to fall on deaf ears. Many people use drinking fountains like foot baths, and the drains often get clogged with sand and mud. Some parents even said things like, the water is clean, it's safe for my kid to wash with, or everyone here washes like this, no one says anything. The park management expressed frustration, urging visitors to respect the environment and conserve water. Not following rules doesn't just inconvenience others. It can also endanger lives. Here's an example. In March, at a wildlife park in Qinhuangdao, Hebei, visitors were warned not to exit their vehicles because of dangerous animals. However, one mother ignored the rules and stepped out of the car to let her child relieve herself, saying that she didn't want the car to get dirty. As the mother held her child, a wolf began to approach them from the side. A driver in a car behind them noticed the situation and honked repeatedly to warn her. Thankfully, the mother and child are unharmed, but it was a close call. Zoo staff later commented that this wasn't the first time a visitor had broken the rules and exited their vehicle. They could only continue reminding guests of the risks. In May, at the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station in Hong Kong, a boy from mainland China defecated in the station, and the accompanying adults made no effort to clean it up. Instead, the task fell to the cleaning staff. A Hong Kong woman, frustrated by the scene, confronted the man in charge, asking why he allowed this to happen. After being questioned multiple times, the man casually replied, the child suddenly had an upset stomach. This response only fueled the woman's anger. She scolded him in Mandarin, saying, this is Hong Kong, your child makes a mess and you don't clean it up. Do you expect Hong Kong people to clean up after you? The video went viral, with many netizens praising the woman's words. She said exactly what needed to be said. Others commented, kids need to be taught. This kind of adult is a terrible role model. And even if there's no restroom nearby, you can ask the staff for help. Having diarrhea doesn't mean you could just go anywhere. At the historical summer palace in China, a young woman was caught dipping her feet into the lake while sitting on a boat. The boat staff immediately told her to stop and return to her seat. And other tourists also urged her to stop, saying, don't do something so dangerous. The girl arrogantly responded, saying, I'm underage. I'm 16, you know. Go ahead and find me. It's you who will be penalized, not me. Then she added, I'm a rich second-generation kid. My family has money. When some passengers asked the staff to dock the boat to handle the situation, she refused and laughed, saying, let's all just stay here. We're not going anywhere. She then escalated the situation, threatening others by saying, hit me if you dare. If you don't, I'll call the police. Go ahead, report me. I have no manners. So what? Report me if you dare. She also claimed that she had a mental illness and needed to go to the hospital. It's hard to say whether this was wealth-induced arrogance or just sheer audacity. Either way, dealing with someone like this could ruin your entire day. It's no wonder people say there's no limit to what some individuals can imagine. Take this for example. A husband and wife duo in a marathon turned into infamous thieves. Were they there to run or shop? They took so much energy gel that it left nothing for the runners behind them. During the Round Taihu No. 1 Highway Marathon in Suzhou, Jiangsu, two runners were caught on camera stuffing their backpacks with snacks and energy gels from the aid stations. The pair, wearing white t-shirts and pink shorts, loaded up their clear backpacks with supplies meant for all participants. When someone tried to stop them, the man lashed out and even stopped others from filming. A participant who uploaded the video to Weibo commented, It's okay to take a few, maybe five, but what they did was outrageous. They even covered their bib numbers to avoid being identified. It seems like they were taking the gels to sell them. If they'd used opaque bags, no one would have noticed. In another incident, an elderly woman was caught repeatedly smearing saliva on her neighbor's door handle. This wasn't her first time either. It's not that old people are suddenly turning bad, it's that bad people are just getting old. Here's something you don't see every day, an elderly man using a subway handrail as a footrest, who knew subway handrails had so many uses. Then there's the woman who delayed a high-speed train to wait for her husband. She stood blocking the train doors, refusing to move, and made everyone wait for one person. Passengers were furious, but she didn't care. Even when the train staff tried to pull her away, she wouldn't budge. The standoff lasted over three minutes, a true display of stubbornness. Finally, let's look at a truly outrageous case. a Chinese-owned hotel in Japan destroyed nature to boost its views. The hotel, located near Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi Prefecture, wanted an unobstructed view of Mount Fuji for its guests. To achieve this, they illegally cut down 23 Japanese cypress trees on a neighboring property and injected herbicide into the roots of 30 more trees. It's well known that Fuji Mountain can be seen from many places in Japan. Among them, the Kawaguchiko area in Yamanashi Prefecture is especially popular with tourists, due to the clear, majestic mountain ridge. This Chinese-invested hotel is located there. According to Japanese media, a man referred to as Mr. Inoue bought the land in 2021 to enjoy Mount Fuji's view during retirement. His property, located between the hotel and the mountain, became a target for the hotel's owner. Initially, the hotel tried to buy the land but was rejected. When negotiations failed, the hotel began pressuring Mr. Inoue to cut down all the trees. offering to pay only half the cost, which he refused. Mr. Inoue revealed that his villa is located between the hotel and Mount Fuji. The hotel had previously planned to purchase the land as well, but it seemed that the seller was dissatisfied with their attitude, allowing Mr. Inoue to acquire the land instead. However, after he bought the land, the Yunshang Fuji Hotel immediately requested to have all the cypress trees cut down. Initially, they proposed building a fence to protect his privacy, but only offered to cover half the cost, about 5 million yen. In January 2022, when Mr. Inoue visited his land again, he discovered that 23 cypress trees had been felled. Later, in June of the same year, he noticed that many of the tree's leaves had withered, and small holes about 2 centimeters in diameter appeared at the base of these trees. It was then that he realized someone had injected herbicide into them. He said out of 100 cypress trees, 30 had been tampered with. When confronted, the hotel staff denied any involvement. One of the owner's assistants arrogantly remarked, the Japanese police won't catch us. Some hotel staff, unable to stand by any longer, privately admitted to Mr. Inoue that the hotel owner had indeed trespassed onto his property multiple times. The owner not only ordered employees to cut branches and inject herbicide, but also provided video evidence of these acts. Mr. Inoue, frustrated by the situation, explained that replanting the same type of cypress trees would cost 120,000 yen per tree. Armed with evidence, he reported the case to the police. On September 4, 2024, authorities arrested several people responsible for the destruction, including workers who cut the trees and the gardener who supervised them. The hotel owner, who ordered the gardener to carry out the acts, fled Japan on September 5, likely knowing the situation had been exposed and trying to avoid responsibility. This morning, I flew from Shanghai to Nagoya for a planned three-day trip. However, because I didn't have accommodations and itinerary scheduled for a full 12 days, I was sent back to Shanghai. The customs in Japan are very thorough. They want to know exactly how many days you will be staying, and they inquire about your hotel and transportation details. I was sent back by Spring Airlines alone, and three people were sent back by China Eastern airlines, two by another airline, totaling six people deported today. Recently, Japan has tightened its immigration inspections significantly, and many Chinese tourists are being deported upon arrival. A netizen named Dahai reported being deported upon entry in Nagoya. The Japanese customs reason was that his itinerary for the trip was only three days long, and he didn't book accommodations for the full 12 days required. It's not just him. Many others have been deported as well. Another netizen was deported upon trying to enter Japan through Narita Airport. She tried to travel with a friend who entered successfully, but she was taken to a separate room where she told the immigration officer she was there for shopping, leading to suspicions she might be a personal shopper purchasing goods to sell in China. She was subsequently deported. Media reports indicate that Japan's tightened immigration controls mainly target those with questionable visa documentation or those who answer the immigration officer's questions incorrectly. Insiders revealed that these measures are meant to combat illegal overstays and unauthorized work. Ms. Zhang, a travel industry insider residing in Japan, noted that due to China's economic situation, many Chinese come to Japan to work illegally. Several Chinese travel agencies have been blacklisted for facilitating this. People come to Japan intending to work illegally for a few years and earn money. Recently, news broke out that multiple mainland travel agencies face tightened restrictions on Japanese visas. On June 13, the Japanese consulate in Guangzhou issued a notice to major travel agencies in the Guangzhou consular area, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, and Hainan, revoking the visa application rights of 11 well-known agencies. According to online sources, the visa policy for the Guangzhou consular area has also been subtly adjusted, primarily reflected in the cancellation of simplified processing conditions. For visa applications, you now need to provide proof of employment, bank account details, and if you're not employed, proof of social security payments or a certificate of unemployment from the community committee. Freelancers need to provide copies of their social security, residence permits front and back, and ID cards front and back. Older individuals might need to provide a retirement certificate. Another document circulating on Chinese social media labeled High-Risk Group Notification Issued by Japan categorizes freelancers, individuals with low education, and those with social security into the highest category for visa denial. It also lists residents with no assets, agricultural registrations, or residing in Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Shandong as high-risk. The list of high-incidence areas for illegal stay abroad include Henan, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Tianjin. High-risk areas include Chenzhou in Hunan, Weinan in Shaanxi, Xiaogan in Hubei, and Guangyuan in Sichuan. It's worth noting that Chinese tourists are a major source of foreign visitors to Japan. While they contribute significantly to the tourism industry, incidents of rule-breaking have sparked dissatisfaction among locals. Examples include Chinese tourists aggressively shaking cherry blossom trees, chasing and hitting Nara's sacred deer, damaging hotel facilities, and occupying priority seating with luggage on public transport. One incident that gained attention involved a Japanese commuter who posted about it on Threads. He described how three Chinese tourists, along with their large suitcases, took up eight priority seats on a crowded train. Nearby, an elderly woman with a cane stood struggling to keep her balance. The Japanese commuter, though not confident in his English, politely asked the tourists to give up their seats. When they didn't respond, he used Google Translate to say, These are priority seats for people with disabilities. Please move your luggage so she can sit. To his surprise, the tourists responded through Google Translate, We already know these are priority seats. Your attitude is arrogant. Besides, we are much richer than you. This response left the commuters shocked and highlighted the tourists' lack of etiquette. The post sparked heated debates online, with many users commenting, people like this shouldn't come to Japan anymore. If you're so rich, why not take a cab instead of crowding the train? These kind of visitors are disrupting Japan's peaceful society. The Chinese government often boasts about how strong China has become in the past decade and the contributions Chinese tourists make to global tourism. Yet in some countries, Chinese tourists are met with discrimination. However, the authorities won't admit this might be tied to the behavior of some tourists. So, who's really to blame? China has a civilization of 5,000 years. With its strong moral and cultural roots, the country's history shines with ethical brilliance. The Chinese people once built a globally admired civilization grounded in the power of morality and virtue. During the Tang Dynasty, China experienced a peak in traditional culture and national strength. During this time, Chinese science led the world, and people from Europe, the Middle East, Japan, and other regions traveled to its capital to study. Neighboring countries recognized China as their cultural leader, and many came to pay tribute. Today, countries like South Korea and Japan have preserved some of the etiquette and customs from that era. Polite language and respectful behavior remain important there. However, in China, these practices were discarded during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s. They were labeled as the Four Olds and dismissed as feudal remnants. A commentary from Southern Weekly described the shift in an article titled, Chinese tourists, are you ugly? Before the Cultural Revolution, middle school students were very polite. But after participating in violent struggles and home raids, then going through rural re-education programs, they quickly learned to spit on the ground and swear. If you questioned them, they'd say, this is how the working class does it. The article continued, People who experienced the Cultural Revolution rarely say sorry. Even someone like me, who was a well-behaved child, was with a subconscious impulse to resolve conflicts with fists. Shanghai scholar Zhu Dakhe believes that the decline in public etiquette is closely tied to the era's struggle education. During this period, people were taught to see everyone as a potential enemy and view daily interactions as part of class warfare. For enemies, there was no need for politeness. After all, revolution is not a dinner party. This revolutionary morality has not disappeared in the 21st century, but has transformed into the harsh logic of social competition in a resource-scarce environment. According to Zhu, our issue isn't a lack of education. It's too much of the wrong kind, an overdose of struggle education. Other scholars have pointed out that China's rapid social changes over the past century have caused significant cultural disconnections. A clear example is the loss of traditional forms of address. In traditional society, people had specific terms to denote relationships based on age, status, and familiarity. After 1949, everyone became comrades. Today, even comrade and miss have taken on new, often ambiguous meanings. Online writer Hong Ming shared his perspective in a blog post. When traditional Chinese etiquette was attacked as feudal ethics, what was destroyed was the cultural essence and social foundation of the Chinese people. When acts of human compassion were dismissed as bourgeois sentimentality and replaced with revolutionary values of the proletariat the communist party redefined the standards of good and evil in China when the love of cleanliness was criticized as a bourgeois thought and replaced with the proletariat's idea that being clean was rolling in the mud the Chinese people lost their sense of beauty and ugliness this departure from etiquette has left people far removed from its true meaning behavior without moral grounding is now seen as hypocrisy and formalism in the past we would have said that China has reached a state of collapse and decay Hongming concluded by quoting the ancient textbook of Rites in times of chaos the strong oppress the weak the many bully the few the clever deceive the simple the brave terrorize the timid the sick receive no care and the elderly and the lonely have no support this is the way of great disorder confucius once said to destroy a nation a family or an individual the first step is to abolish their rituals. This, Hongming argues, is the deeper crisis China faces today.