evyの译想世界

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I have not been to Shanghai so have not seen the pyjamas parties it is famous or infamous of.

With the upcoming World Expo in 2010, its government is trying to eradicate this habit of its residents. I read in articles that in the past, wearing pyjamas was a sign of status, only the rich could afford to buy pyjamas. Today it is a fashion statement! ”Old couples with matching silk pyjamas, ladies keeping out the cold in huge padded pyjamas, kids in cotton jim-jams with dancing teddy bears and the traditionalists in candy-stripe hospital variants.” (http://www.mg.co.za)

Wearing PJs in the public is not accepted by the Westerners, I remember the day when the Head of College (hostel, in Singaporean English) set the rule “No PJs in the dinning Hall!”. It was a common sight to see college girls in PJs having breaky in the dinning hall. The problem was it was a women’s college and well, some of us took things for granted and wore very revealing PJs (or lingeries?) to the dinning hall…visitors who were strolling in and out of our college, especially the men, got distracted by the sight…so obviously the Head of the College was not impressed at all.

However Shanghai probably does not face the same issue as we did in college. They are just concerned about their image on the international stage.

From a cultural perspective, if wearing PJs on the street is something unique to Shanghai, perhaps it should not be discouraged. Given a choice i would rather see the real Shanghai than a modernized Shanghai. If this culture is totally eradicated, then it is just another city, not much different from Orchard Road. Ok, there are some differences, in Singapore we were shorts, Tshirts and slippers. C’mon the hot weather here is not suitable for winter clothes. Even my mate from Darwin wears slippers here.

Wearing PJs is not a dangerous act, it is just unsightly and unhygienic. However if the Shanghainese like it that way, so be it.