ABSTRACT
Nightlife in China differs greatly from nightlife in Western countries. In the West, nightlife for single people often centers around bars and clubs, and nightlife for married people often centers around family-oriented activities. As one American vice president of a Fortune 10 company joked with us, when he is not working, he serves as the family chauffeur, driving his kids to all types of activities. While most Americans can relate to this lifestyle, few Chinese people can. In China, evenings are to be spent with people outside the family, and this lifestyle applies not just to those who are young and single, but also those with work obligations. In this chapter, we provide a brief discussion of most common evening activities in China, including karaoke (KTV), foot baths and massage, public dancing, and midnight snacks; and those not restricted to evening, such as visiting teahouses and chess and card houses. We share our predictions about Chinese nightlife in the Road Ahead section.
