See the note at the end if you want to know more about birds …
This morning, I posted a simple question in a local Shanghai birding group – and got a reply. Here is the unedited transcript, with the Chinese answers translated using machine translation.
Kai Pflug:
Does anyone know whether the back entrance to Binjiang Forest Park is still open, so that one can enter before the official opening time?
Reply:
So, you want me to find a way to get into the place without going through the proper channels, just to release some breadworms and set up a sound trap?
Kai Pflug:
No, I just want to know whether it is possible to enter before 8 am.
Reply:
Why should the rules be bent for a foreigner?
Kai Pflug:
You are not a nice person. There are many Chinese going in there before 8 am. Why should a foreigner not do it then? I thought this group is for birders to help each other, not to show how patriotic and nationalist you are. I was wrong.
Reply:
Article 43 of the Wildlife Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China stipulates that when foreigners conduct field research or shoot films and videos of key protected wildlife in China, they must obtain approval from the wildlife protection authorities of the provincial, autonomous regional, or municipal people’s governments or their authorized entities, and must comply with relevant laws and regulations.
Kai Pflug:
Yes, I knew you were a nationalist. Congratulations.
So, first, you indicate that foreigners should not have preferential treatment. Then, you show that by Chinese law, actually, foreigners have fewer rights than locals. Your thinking is muddled.
Note: Binjiang Forest Park is a public park in Shanghai. To my knowledge, it does not have any key protected avian wildlife.
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The reply was not that nice, but calling others “patriotic and nationalist” is also not nice. As a person in China for that many years, you should know it equals to calling him ???, which is vicious.
Classic! I always find it strangely comforting that xenophobia is a human trait, exhibited by pretty much everybody on the planet with the possible exception of the late Bishop Desmond Tutu. My family and I were the only foreigners in an apartment building. Once there was a fire, the firemen just assumed it was the foreigners on the 26th floor and were ready to break down our front door. The fire was of course on the 6th floor.
I am honestly surprised by your comment – and I do not mean this in an ironic way. I would have thought many Chinese would be proud to be called patriotic and nationalist. Maybe I do not know China that well.
I probably shouldn’t weigh in, because I know nothing about birding in China, or even about China in general. My read on this exchange is this: Kai asked a really simple question and the individual responding took an adversarial (and possibly also ridiculing – “so you can put out breadworms and set up a sound trap”) stance. It was all downhill from there. That’s often how these things go – no matter what country you’re in.
Agree – the guy apparently has two things he dislikes, namely feeding/using playback to attract birds, and foreigners. So, conveniently, he combined the two, accusing a foreigner of the other thing he dislikes. Obviously ignoring the fact that 99% of all playback and bird feeding in China is done by Chinese nationals. But why let a fact interfere with good solid prejudice …
I’m a Chinese birder, and I’m sorry for your experience. Generally , old-school Chinese birders are more pro-foreign, after all, birding is from the West. I believe you met an impolite person, not surprising considering the mass population. Many young people have stronger nationalist stances and stricter environmental protection concepts (well, this is also learned from today’s Western). Older people are more understanding.
Thank you, Miles!
Miles’ wisdom and empathy is heartwarming.