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AFP - Getty Images
Chinese beachgoers wear body suits and protective head masks, dubbed "facekinis," on a crowded public beach in Qingdao, on Aug. 16.
BEIJING – In the West, getting a tan is one of the main reasons for going to the beach.
But in China, some are going to extraordinary lengths to avoid getting a bit of sun with a new item of beachwear – dubbed the Facekini – causing something of a stir in the coastal tourist city of Qingdao, Shandong Province.
The masks completely cover the swimmers' heads, revealing only their eyes, noses, and mouths.
The styles and colors of the masks suggest a huge happy beach party attended by some lesser superheroes, Mexican wrestlers and perhaps a few bank robbers is underway. In fact, government officials have become concerned that the masks could be used to rob banks, according to a report in The New York Times.
"These have been extremely popular," Zaizaibao (仔仔寶), an online seller from Henan on shopping Internet site taobao.com, said.
Another online store sold 542 masks, which come in different colors and patterns, in just 30 days. "We are already out of the pink ones.... All of them sell well. Orange is the most effective in protecting people from sea creatures."
AFP - Getty Images
Users say the face masks are useful in protecting against insects and jellyfish.
The masks are an outward expression of a Chinese understanding of beauty in terms of skin color.
"I myself don't mind getting tanned, but I can see why pale skin is attractive," Alina Zhao, a college student in the U.S. who grew up in Zhejiang, China, said.
"It definitely has to do with the history of China, which is largely an agricultural society,” she added. “Getting tanned means you work outside in the fields a lot, so skin color is like an indicator of your social status. The fairer you are, the wealthier or more respected you seem."
Umbrellas on a sunny day
In fact, Facekini is only one out of many attempts by Chinese people to stay fair. The number of umbrellas to be seen in Chinese cities on a hot, sunny day might appear bizarre to many non-Chinese people.
"I first became aware of the phenomenon when I lived in Taiwan for the summer," Simone Cote, from Vermont and currently working in Beijing, said. "I constantly saw that women covered themselves when they went out. They wore pants often, and yes, umbrellas everywhere."
Cote was asked "Why is your skin so dark?" by her host mother in Taiwan.
Within this underlying concept of what is beautiful, the Facekini was perhaps a logical development.
A user of the mask commented in Chinese on taobao.com that "this item is very effective in keeping the UV [ultra-violet light] out, and it's very comfortable. With this, you can do whatever you want on a beach, with no worries of getting burned or tanned. It's really recommended."
Another user, Tongchao, seems to have debated between the benefit of not getting tanned and the possibility of getting laughed at in this mask. "Okay. I've become the focused again, but this item is really useful. It's actually not stuffy at all. I really like it!" Looks like he or she has made a choice – but not an easy one.
When asked if she would ever wear one, Alina gave her answer without a second thought.
"Of course no! I was never into sunscreen – I'll never get this fair anyway, so why bother? I would rather enjoy the sun."
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Leave a Comment:
In the US its the exact opposite- its unhip to be white.
Chris Rock makes a movie about how horrible it is for black people to try to have white hair, but the real tragedy is the millions who die of melanoma trying to make themselves look darker by frying their skin in the sun.
The anti-white tendency extends beyond what is popular to politics now and I have also been told by a few white people that, "they don't date white people, I don't find it attractive". Talk about self-loathing.
I am currently in Singapore and do see the skin whitening products and such, but most people laugh at people who use these types of products, its not as popular as the darker is better phenomenon in the US.
I grew up on a farm and always had dark tans from working in the fields as a white boy, sometimes referred to as redneck by racists scum as well as fellow rednecks. Today, I am approaching 60 and see the detrimetal effects of the sun in the form of regular doctor visits to have things removed. It is insane to go out there with the knowedge as to the negatve health effects of the sun. Cancer is no fun, no matter how you slice it. Where can I get some of these?
Have you ever bumpted into a jelly fish? That is not much fun either.
These are OK on the beach, but should not be allowed while driving our entering a store ... anywhere that their identity may be needed.
ihavesmellyballs
You're obviously Chinese because of your stupid assumptions. I've lived here for three years and it amazes me just how dumb and naive some of you really are based on your comment. White is my race or do you prefer the word caucasian?
What happens to people who will never be white? Who have skin color from the moment of birth? Is the African continent just excluded entirely from the beauty paradigm?
(Wouldn't be the first time....)
No, I don't think so. A lot of Chinese men I've met seem to feel that Vimbaye Kajese (a news anchor on China Central TV) is one of the most beautiful women in the country, and she's black. I think it's a standard they attach mainly to Han.. variance about a theme, if you will.
It's important to remember that the Chinese have their own equivalent of the Northeastern WASP - a prestige group within the Han race: the "Beifang Han"... they are pale (with a tendancy to burn, not tan, just like pale-skinned Northern European Caucasians) and very tall. They're the people who use highly pronounced rolling "Rs" in their speech, and add "-er" at the end of every word. Stereotypically, I think many Chinese associate this one group with refinement and cultural advancement, even though they aren't necessarily the ones in power anymore.
I am a Chinese who's lived in America and I can tell you its not exactly upside-down like Gulliver's Travels. Pale Skin (Asian culture) is more similar to Light/Blonde hair (Western culture). Not exactly sure why they say 'gentlemen prefers blondes.'
WOW!! That looks absolutely stupid.
i want one too!
That's gonna leave their face attractive, FAIR skin riddled with pimples cause of all the sweating under the facekini!!
a great suit for muslim gals!
East Asian women - Chinese, Koreans and Japanese, basically have very fare skin and they wish to stay that way as women in fare skin do look much better. They will walk with open umbrella to shield them from the sun.
The facekini is just an evolution.
they're on ebay
So we (Muslim women) get laughed at for the concept of modesty in sports and fashion because it is for religious reasons. Yet for purely cosmetic reasons, it's perfectly acceptable?! It's just another niqab!! Where are the haters now?!
I am from this small beach town of China. They leave in this town and near the beach. Those middle age women swim 2 hours everyday in summer. It's not the problem of tan or not. The sun will burn your skin.
Why call it a Facekini the name is counter intuitive when you add the suffix "kini" it gives the impression of less not more. Why not call it what it is a UV stopping face mask. Only in China is a tan a bad thing. Have they not heard of sun screen in China. just another. You would think they might silk screen the likeness of whoever the hell they think is sexy in China and they wear those stupid masks while they are having sex so they can pretend they doing the wild thing with the person of their dreams instead of some Ugly Dog
I wear a facekini and a parka to the beach in China but I leave my penis out to tan. There's nothing like a good penis tan! Oh and my balls too but only every other day... too much ball tan not good for boom boom!
"Have you ever noticed in India that the ruling class is very light skinned and the darkest color skin come from the untouchables?"
Yes, but later noticed what you are talking about is more Bollywood, not Hinduism.