Milan (AsiaNews) – Like in the rest of the world, anxiety associated with social media in China comes through photography, amplified by the sheer scale of the People's Republic. Yet, what stands out is the style of the countless photos shared daily on WeChat, this according to a source living in China, shared with AsiaNews, part of a series of articles exploring trends among the country's youth.
The image of the Asian tourist snapping endless photos is a widespread stereotype; cities are teeming with Chinese, Korean, and Japanese tourists constantly busy taking pictures.
At first glance, this activity might not seem particularly noteworthy, especially since the advent of social media has turned photography into a global habit, or even an addiction.
And yet, the Chinese have a unique way of taking photos.
For starters, they take pictures of everything. Everything. Every single item – including coffee cups, especially takeaway ones – becomes a subject for a photo and a subsequent post on their profile or in their "Moments" (a WeChat feature that blends elements of Instagram and Facebook).
Although compulsive posting is a global habit, the truly distinctive Chinese trait is that, while everything gets photographed, everything is photographed in the exact same way. There is a single, standardised approach to taking pictures, even when the subjects are people: a single pose, a single makeup style, a single background, and, consequently, a single way of posting.
The goal is not to take an original photo or to capture a moment involving one or more people; rather, it is to recreate that specific, widely circulated type of social media image. In a way, the photo represents a way to perform a “Chinese activity”, much like “drinking coffee” is for Italians.
Photo-tourism
This love for photography has given rise to "photo-tourism" involving traditional costumes.
Linked to the ever-growing domestic tourism sector, this trend capitalises on the strong connection various cities have with specific periods of Chinese history or particular dynasties – in each city, it is customary to don traditional attire and matching makeup that evoke a bygone era. These costumes are worn for photo shoots at famous or iconic historical sites.
Cities teem with costume rental shops, makeup artists, and professional photographers; it is common to see women, young and old alike, on the streets (as well as in shops, cafés, and subways) sporting period makeup and dress, intent on being photographed. They all seek the same poses, the same expressions, and the same backdrops.
How does one appreciate a city? How does one appreciate Chinese culture? By having oneself photographed in traditional attire and performing a version of Chinese beauty, transforming an ancient aesthetic standard into a form of mass-market beauty.
For the point is not so much the act of taking photos itself, but rather the sense of alienation triggered by the sheer scale of the crowds typical of China. It is disorienting to encounter masses of women all dressed and made up in the same way, intent on embodying a specific ideal of Chinese beauty.
The one-of-a-kind photo and groupthink
This applies not only to photo-tourism involving traditional costumes but also so-called citywalks (a term strictly pronounced in English), city tours popularised on social media.
Citywalks are itineraries suggested by influencers who, beyond recommending locations, propose specific photo styles or subjects, such as shops, accessories, cafés, flowers, various venues, or even the cats and dogs kept as fixtures by some shopkeepers.
Consequently, it has become socially acceptable to walk into a shop simply to photograph the shelves or the products on sale. It is common practice to visit a professional makeup artist, or do it oneself, given the right skills, before a citywalk to get a "typical Chinese" makeup look that ensures great photos.
Contemporary makeup for women closely resembles the style paired with traditional costumes (it is virtually identical, I would say) and features very pale skin, elongated and enlarged eyes, high pink cheekbones, a high, narrow nose, and small red lips. Here, too, one is struck by the uniformity of colour and style, the single standard to which everyone conforms.
Watching people take these pictures, I reflected on how this behaviour embodies both a healthy cultural element and a descent into a mass phenomenon.
The one-of-a-kind photo epitomises groupthink. Having been raised from childhood to value conformity and the single correct outcome, the only way to do things, the only right result, people believe that, even when it comes to photography, there is only one “right” photo.
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