A foreigner taking part in a traditional Chinese wedding. (Internet photo)
A blog lamenting the lot of men from other countries who marry Chinese women has drawn the attention of 3 million readers in China. The writer claims to have interviewed numerous foreign men about common stereotypes involved in such a marriage, such as having to "marry the whole family," being without any privacy, and being expected to eat anything and everything. Chinese readers generally agreed with the amusing international perspectives, according to Guangzhou's Yangcheng Evening News.

LIVING WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY
One post comments on getting adjusted to life in a Chinese household, saying that within six months, relatives are all "queuing up to come to your home." In the kitchen, the writer describes the novelty of having two wok burners after "a dozen generations of my family have never seen a Chinese wok," and of opening the drawers to find them flooded with chopsticks. "Now I can even pick up peanuts with chopsticks," the author said proudly.

NO PRIVACY
Another post begins, "Once the Chinese invade your home, you will never have privacy again. One day I was sitting on the toilet when my father-in-law sauntered in and washed his hands while muttering phrases of a standard English conversation: 'How are you? And you?' with me."

His mother-in-law tucks him in if he falls asleep on the couch while reading a book. Both will follow him throughout the house, switching off the lights as soon as he leaves the room so that "everything behind me is always dark."

As for the furniture, "Anything that gets dusty easily is wrapped in plastic, even the remote control, the carpet on the staircase, and the keys of the piano." All of the furniture is hard and uncomfortable to sit on, he wrote.

CHINESE PEOPLE WILL EAT (ALMOST) ANYTHING
Commenting on food, the author writes in another post, "I love to eat the food they make, but they never tell me what I'm eating. They say that Chinese love to eat meat, but where is the meat in chicken feet, duck beak and pig ears?"

YOU WILL ALWAYS LOSE A FIGHT WITH YOUR WIFE
A general consensus among foreign husbands was that Chinese wives have flawless memories and will be able to recall even the slightest, most trivial offense against her 10 years ago or more.

They describe a Chinese wife as being determined to control every aspect of their husband's life. One writer jokes, "It is no wonder that China never had a great sea explorer like Columbus, because if anyone tried to leave, they would have been buried with questions from their wife. "Where are you going? With whom? Are there any women on the boat? How old? Are they prettier than me? How did you meet them?" Eventually, the explorer would have just cancelled the expedition."

DRIVING THEIR KIDS CRAZY
According to another post, Americans generally try to give their kids the freedom to enjoy their youth without giving them pressure to be the best in the class. A Chinese wife, however, will force them to learn piano, practice martial arts, take ballet lessons, learn Chinese and math, and "get a PhD before the age of 18." She will, according to the writer, forbid them from doing what they like to do, to the point where it borders on inhumanity.

Chinese internet users had varied reactions to this perspective on Chinese marriage values. One netizen said, "I laughed until I cried. Every description is right on the dot. Aren't these the shortcomings of the Chinese people?"

Another netizen sympathized, saying, "At least they understand the bitterness with which Chinese men have to live."

A third, in contrast, said, "aside from cultural differences, these 'annoyances' are the outstanding qualities of the Chinese character."