China is a country with a long and interesting history. It was once ruled by emperors and is the birthplace of many inventions—including printing, paper, the compass and more. It’s also one of today’s key players in the global economy. Simply put, the world just wouldn’t be the same without China.

Even when you look at Chinese culture and the places that exist in China, you can’t help but be fascinated. And while some of the things that exist in China are amazing, others just make you want to say, “WTF.” From their questionable dishes to their controversial one-child policy, here are 15 bizarre things that exist in China.

15. Police geese

Most countries have police dogs, which help the police force to sniff out illegal drugs, conduct searches and track criminals. But, China has police geese. It’s strange, but true! So, how exactly do these geese help with law enforcement? Apparently, they’re aggressive and of course, they’re loud. So, they help to alert sleeping officers of criminals and nab suspects. That’s pretty intense, huh? We never would have imagined birds as crime fighters. China isn’t the only country to use geese in this way, though. Rome used them in the Gaul invasion in 390 B.C. and the U.S. military used them to guard military installations in Germany in 1986.

14. Panda tea

Pandas are cute, right? So, panda tea must taste good…right? Well, you can find out for yourself—that is, if you can get past how it’s made AND if you can afford it. Panda tea is grown using panda poop and it’s actually the world’s most expensive tea. While you spend under five dollars at your local grocery store for some regular tea, panda tea will set you back about $28,000 per pound. So, why is it so expensive? Well, it’s said that the tea has healing properties because a panda’s excrement is rich in nutrients. That’s because they don’t absorb most of their food. Either way, we can’t afford this tea and we’re okay with that.

13. Live turtle keychains

Keychains make great souvenirs and accessories for our bags. They come in all shapes and sizes, so everyone can find one that will suit their tastes. But, one type of keychain that shouldn’t exist is live animal keychains. Yep, you read that correctly. These keychains are found for sale in China and consist of a live animal (typically a turtle, fish or salamander) in a plastic bubble filled with coloured water. Vendors claim that this water has nutrients which will allow the animal to survive for three months. But, they don’t explain how the animal will get oxygen.

Although animal rights groups would like to see these keychains banned, China has no laws protecting these animals. People buy the keychains because they believe it will bring good luck.

12. Internet addict treatment camp

We’ve all heard about rehabs for drug addicts, but did you know there are treatment camps for internet addicts? Who qualifies as an internet addict? We check our Facebook messages first thing every morning, refresh our Instagram home page every half hour and are always reading articles online. So, could we be considered internet addicts who need treatment, too? Well, probably not.

Internet addiction is a real mental disorder and addicts are those who stay online for hours on end, losing touch with reality. Many are teenagers whose lives are consumed by online gaming. How exactly does the camp treat these individuals? Well, it combines physical training with a strict ‘no computer’ policy.

11. Urine eggs

 

Eggs are a typical breakfast dish that you can prepare in a variety of ways. While you may have heard of frying eggs, scrambling eggs or boiling eggs in water, you’ve probably never heard of soaking and boiling eggs in the urine of young boys. Yet, this is a tradition which has been around for centuries in China. It’s believed that the urine has health benefits, including the promotion of blood circulation and prevention of heat stroke.

In the spring, urine is collected from boys under the age of 10. Egg vendors place basins in the hallways of schools for boys to urinate in. Though we may find this to be odd, it’s accepted as a tradition in China.

10. Facekini

When we go to the beach, we usually wear a swimsuit, along with sunscreen or a hat for extra protection from the sun’s harmful rays. But, in China, beach-goers wear a facekini (and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like). Facekinis provide protection from the sun and allow individuals to maintain their fair skin. In China, fair skin is seen as the standard of beauty, so it makes sense that people would want to protect their skin from getting burnt by the sun.

Facekinis are available in various shapes, sizes and colours. There are even cool patterned ones, too. Facekinis became a huge trend in China around 2015 and it doesn’t look like they’re going away any time soon.

9. Crocodiles for sale at Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is a pretty basic store. You go there when you need to pick up common household items (like dishes, bedding or groceries). But, China’s Wal-Marts are far from basic. Just look at what they sell! Yep, those are real crocodiles for sale. Eating crocodiles may seem weird to us, but it’s considered both a treat and a medicine in China. According to Chinese tradition, crocodile meat is considered highly nutritious and can cure respiratory illnesses, such as asthma. But, it is also pretty expensive, so it’s seen as a treat to be able to eat it. Now, you may be wondering what it tastes like. Well, crocodile meat reportedly tastes just like chicken, but it’s tougher.

8. Obama Fried Chicken

The above sign once read “OFC,” which stood for Obama Fried Chicken. You can see how this would cause problems. First, there’s the blatant copyright infringement. Second, there’s the obvious racism (it’s clearly a play on the stereotype that African-Americans like fried chicken). Of course, KFC stepped in and threatened to take legal action. This forced the owners of OFC—three Beijing University students— to change their restaurant’s name. They chose to rename their copycat restaurant to “UFO.” We’re not sure what that stands for, as the owners didn’t specify. However, if we had to guess, we’d say “unidentified fried objects.”

7. One-child policy

All countries have laws; that’s nothing new. Laws exist for a reason and we’re pretty glad that most of them exist because they protect us and our country. But, some laws arguably take things too far. In 1979, a one-child policy begun in China. As the name suggests, this policy restricted couples to having only one child. The aim was to control China’s staggering population. But, you can imagine the problems which arose from the policy. Most couples wanted a boy to carry on the family name and to work to provide for their family. This caused an imbalance in the country, as couples would abort or abandon female babies in favour of males. The lawmakers saw a need to solve this problem. So, in 2016, the one-child policy changed to a two-child policy.

6. Ghost marriages

Okay, you’ll have to mentally prepare yourself for this one because it’s truly beyond belief. All cultures have their own traditions. Some of these are really cool and others are downright creepy. Ghost marriages are one such tradition. This tradition stems from the belief that the deceased continue to live on in the afterlife and if they were unmarried during their life, they need a companion. Ghost marriages were originally between two deceased, single individuals. The “bride’s” family would be given a dowry (money, jewelry etc.). As if this weren’t strange enough, there have recently been reports of living people marrying a corpse in secret ceremonies. This tradition continues because Chinese people believe bad things will happen to them if the dead’s wishes are not fulfilled.

5. Kingdom of little people

By now, you’re probably aware that there’s an amusement park for just about everything. So, the Kingdom of Little People shouldn’t come as a shock. But, it still makes us all ask, “WTF?”

The Kingdom of Little People is located in Yunnan, China. It only employs people who are less than 51 inches (or about four feet) tall. The employees dress in costumes, sing, dance and act out fairy tales onstage for visitors. You can probably see why this would be controversial. Several organizations criticize the park for isolating those with dwarfism. But, in an interview, the employees stated that the park gave them the opportunity for employment.

4. Suicide nets

Most workplaces and buildings have safety measures. There are emergency exits, fire alarms, security cameras, guards, scanners and maybe even a buzzer at the front door. But, even with all of these security measures, there is still the possibility that someone can commit suicide by jumping out of a window. Yep, it’s sad and maybe a little out there, but it happens at alarming rates in China. In fact, at the Foxconn factory (where Apple phones are manufactured), wages and working conditions were so bad that 18 employees attempted to commit suicide by jumping out the window. The result was 14 deaths and this forced the factory to install suicide nets.

3. Cancer villages

China’s capital, Beijing, is so polluted that you need to wear a protective mask just to step outside! The high pollution levels are caused by factories and the rising number of cars in the city. Now, there are even “cancer villages,” where the majority of people are suffering from cancer (presumably due to carcinogenic fumes in the air and polluted drinking water). These neighborhoods are typically near factories and villagers often go to sleep with a towel over their noses and mouths for protection.

Not surprisingly, cancer is the leading cause of death in China, with around three million people succumbing to the disease in 2015. 

2. Smart phone lanes

You’re heard of bicycle lanes and perhaps HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes, but have you ever heard of smartphone lanes? Yes, this is actually a thing in China. On one hand, it actually sounds like a good idea. Think about it: when people are on their phones while walking, they usually walk very slow, stop randomly or step on the back of your foot. So, having these people in their own lane would be a relief to non-smartphone users. They’ll finally be able to walk at a fast pace without having to say “excuse me” a thousand times! There’s just a few problems, though. How will this lane protect smartphone users? They’ll probably all bump into each other and step out of their lane.

1. Only one time zone

Time zones exist for a reason. Different parts of the Earth enter and exit daylight at different times. Since we need our lives to coincide with the rising and setting of the sun, we need time zones. We don’t want to go to bed each night when the sun is still brightly shining or go to work while it’s dark. Unfortunately, people in China have to deal with these problems. There’s only one time zone in China, called Beijing Standard Time. So, in places like Xinjiang, the sun sets at midnight and rises the next morning at 10 a.m. That’s pretty weird, right?

China didn’t always have one time zone, though. In 1912, five time zones were created. However, when the Communist Party took control of the country, this changed and a single time zone was created to unite the nation.

Sources: dailymail.co.uk, theguardian.com, abc.net.au